Secure mobile information management system and method

ABSTRACT

Information or items that otherwise might be carried in a person&#39;s wallet or purse may be managed and stored on a mobile phone. Embodiments include a software application loaded on a mobile phone and an Internet website through which certain information can be transmitted to the phone by the user, third parties, or both. A user may be alerted to certain information or changes in information that meet certain criteria. The website may provide secure storage for information, filter information, and send encrypted and compressed nuggets or fractions of information to the phone for storage based on topic. E-mails may be searched for information, information may be sent to different parties, and signals may be sent locally to exchange information. Personal information may include account information or travel information, for example.

RELATED APPLICATIONS AND CLAIM OF PRIORITY

This patent application claims priority to, and incorporates byreference, U.S. provisional patent application 60/809,052, titled:MOBILE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD, which was filed on May25, 2006, and U.S. provisional patent application 60/920,603, titled:SECURE MOBILE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD, which was filedon Mar. 29, 2007. Both of these provisional patent applications have thesame inventors as this application. This patent application is alsorelated to a PCT patent application, filed on the same date, having thesame inventors, and having the same title, as this application, which isalso incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to systems and methods for managing information,including personal information, and for storing such information in aretrievable manner capable of being conveniently carried on a user'sperson. Specific embodiments of this invention relate to wirelesscommunication, cellular telephony, Internet-based systems and methods,software, computers, or a combination thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the past, people have carried many different items in their walletsor purses, for example. Certain of these items store personalinformation, provide identification for various purposes, allow theperson to make purchases, provide proof of particular facts, or acombination thereof. Certain items that have been carried in walletsinclude credit cards, bank cards, debit cards, check books, bank books,bank account records, credit card records, bills, identification cards,licenses such as a driver's license, CDL, pilot's license, etc., socialsecurity cards, voter registration cards, passports, visas, immigrationcards, loyalty cards, e.g., for grocery stores such as SAFEWAY, andALBERTSONS, retail stores such as GAP, and STARBUCKS, membership cardssuch as COSTCO, REI, gyms, and country clubs, frequent flyer programcards or numbers, rewards programs, video clubs, library cards,insurance cards, such as health, auto, home, and life insurance, loginand password information, elevator cards, parking structure cards, roomkeys, phone numbers, e-mail and street addresses, calendars, callingcards, medical information such as medical history, drugs being taken,immunization records, living wills, medical power of attorney, emergencycontact information, personal photographs, personal memorabilia,receipts, proof of warranties and warranty information, tax records,proof of professional credentials, proof of authority, and businesscards, as examples.

In the past, people have also carried mobile phones, which, besidesbeing used to place and receive calls, have contained information suchas phone numbers and calendars, and some of which have had Internetaccess. Mobile phones typically include processors, digital storage,displays, and software, among other things, and many hold and displayphotographs, provide for purchases on the Internet, include a globalpositioning system (GPS) or a combination thereof. Further, systems andmethods have been developed to manage various information and activitiesincluding personal information. Various such systems and methods arecomputer implemented, involve computer software, utilize computerstorage databases, are network or Internet based, or a combinationthereof, as examples. Still further, bar codes, near field communication(NFC) and Bluetooth communication, among other technologies, have beenused to communicate with electronic devices of certain types. Evenfurther, personal digital assistants (PDAs), such as the BLACKBERRY havebeen used to send and receive e-mails, as well as placing and receivingtelephone calls, although, in the past, users of PDAs have typically hadto sort through a large number of e-mails to find particular informationthat they needed or desired.

However, needs and the potential for benefit exist in the area of suchinformation and item management, and these needs and potential forbenefit often extend to many types of personal, business, andprofessional information. For instance, people often have many thingsthat they would like to place in their wallets, and people must oftenchoose between competing items to carry. Further, wallets and purses areoften too large or bulky to carry conveniently, particularly when peopleare wearing particular styles of clothing. Thus, needs and potential forbenefit exist for systems and methods that reduce the number of itemsthat need to be carried in a wallet or that increase the amount ofinformation that can be carried on one's person. In addition, there is aneed and potential for benefit to be able to efficiently identify,replace, cancel, or destroy items or information, for example, of thetype carried in a wallet or purse, if the wallet, purse, or one or moreitems is lost, stolen, damaged, or destroyed.

Furthermore, needs and potential for benefit, exist for a person to beable to use the Internet, or otherwise provide for efficientcommunication, entering of data, and transferring of data, but needsalso exist that an acceptable level of data security be maintained withsuch systems and methods. Further needs and areas for potential forimprovement include improving the availability of information from anumber of different sources, reducing duplication in the entering ofinformation, organizing information and providing information in amore-usable form, more effectively transferring information between astorage device and another device, and providing more information, moreup-to-date information, or both, to a user. Further needs and areas forpotential for improvement include updating information, for example, ina timely manner or in real time, and providing notifications or alarms,at least for particularly important information.

In specific examples, needs and potential for benefit exist in the areasof methods and systems for managing information for a number of users,using the Internet and mobile phones of the users. Particular needs andpotential for benefit exist for such systems and methods that receiveinformation from users, that include a criteria for alarming, thatreceive information from one or more third parties, that select afraction of the information from third parties, that transmit thisfraction of the information to the mobile phones of the users, where theinformation is organized in a manner that it is accessible to the users.Additional needs and potential for benefit exist for certain processesto be repeated, and for alarms to be provided to the users when certaininformation satisfies a criteria, for example, that the users haveidentified. Further needs and potential for benefit exist for softwaremodules operating on servers and on mobile phones that provide forsecure storage of information, that select, send, and receive nuggets ofpersonal information, and that store the nuggets for access by the user,for example, without sorting through a number of e-mails.

In addition, in the past, various systems and methods for authorizingactions and authenticating access have existed. For example, locks andkeys have been used to control physical access to spaces (e.g., lockeddoors on buildings, electronic keys for hotel rooms, etc.). However,people had to carry such keys to obtain access. Passwords and pass codeshave been used to authorize access to controlled spaces, and to grantcomputer access to electronically stored data. However, users mustremember these passwords or pass codes. Systems and methods have alsoexisted for authorizing other actions. For example, cards have also beenused to authorize financial transactions, such as payment at the pointof sale for the purchase of goods or for the provision of services.Besides requiring the presence of the card, transactions have beenauthorized using bank card networks, which verified that the cards wereauthorized. Signatures have also been used to authorize transactions.However, users needed to carry the cards, and signatures have beenforged.

Needs and potential for benefit exist for other or better systems andmethods for authorizing such actions, or other actions, that do notrequire the users to carry additional cards or keys, remember additionalpasswords, codes, or information, that use items already carried by theusers, that use items that are frequently used and controlled by theuser, that are more convenient, that offer alternatives, that are easilytrackable, that provide an ability to authorize a variety of differentactions, that cannot easily be forged, or a combination thereof.

Systems and methods have also existed to track individuals. For example,devices have been used to track prisoners who have been placed underhouse arrest that are locked onto the prisoners and alarm when aprisoner travels more than a predetermined distance from their home.Devices have also been used to track vehicles, including using GPStechnology, to aid in recovery if the vehicles are stolen. However,needs and potential for benefit exist for systems and methods that trackindividuals without using such devices, for particular applications. Asan example, needs and potential for benefit exist for systems andmethods that track individuals by tracking their mobile phones. As afurther example, needs and potential for benefit exist for trackingindividuals, including children, for their own protection.

In a particular example, in the past, convicted sex offenders have beenrequired to register where they reside and such information has beenmade available to the public, including via the Internet, so thatmembers of the public can take steps to protect themselves and theirchildren, as examples, from potential future sexual predation. However,many registered sex offenders often reside in densely populated areas,making it difficult for members of the public to keep track of all ofthem. In addition, parents are not always aware of exactly where therechildren are at all times. Thus, needs and potential for benefit existfor systems and methods that alert parents or guardians of children whenthe children enter or travel within a predetermined distance of theresidence of a registered sex offender. Needs and potential for benefitalso exist for systems and methods that provide positional awareness ofparticular individuals for other purposes, including such systems andmethods that use mobile phones.

Potential for improvement exists in these and other areas that may beapparent to a person of skill in the art having studied this document.

SUMMARY OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides, among other things, a number of embodiments ofsystems and methods of storing or making available information, items,functionality, or a combination thereof, in a mobile phone. In certainembodiments, information or items that otherwise might be carried in aperson's wallet or purse may be stored on a mobile phone. Variousembodiments include a software application loaded on a mobile phone thatstores certain information for access by the user. In addition, variousembodiments of the invention include an Internet website through whichcertain information can be transmitted to the phone. In someembodiments, the information on the website can be updated through thephone, by the user through a personal computer, or both. Furthermore, insome embodiments, various third parties, such as merchants, businesses,banks, airlines and the like may provide information to the website.Information may be transmitted from the website to the phone, or viceversa, via a telephone signal or through a mobile telephone network, forexample, at particular times or as needed. In some embodiments, a usermay be alerted to certain information or changes in information thatmeet certain criteria.

Various embodiments of the invention provide as an object or benefitthat they partially or fully address one or more of the needs, potentialareas for benefit or improvement, and functions described herein, forinstance. The present invention provides various embodiments that maystore or make available information, items, or functionality in a mobilephone. Various embodiments may provide a higher level of data security,be easier to use, accomplish more functions, contain more usefulinformation, provide a better level of control, provide easiermanagement and replacement if lost or stolen, or a combination thereof,in comparison with various prior art. Various embodiments may, forexample, manage personal information for a number of users, sort certaininformation, provide alarms, transfer information between a server andmobile phones, and store information on mobile phones in a manner thatfacilitates access by the users. Further features and advantages of theinvention may be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In particular embodiments, this invention provides, for example, systemsof managing personal information for a plurality of users, each userhaving a mobile phone operating on a mobile phone network. In particularembodiments, the system includes at least one first software moduleoperating on at least one server and forming at least one websitewherein a plurality of users visit the website through the Internet andelect to have their personal information managed through the systemusing their mobile phones. In addition, in these embodiments, the firstsoftware module provides secure storage for each user's personalinformation received from the user and from at least one third partyacting on behalf of the user to provide information to the user, and thefirst software module filters the personal information and selectsnuggets of the personal information which the first software modulesends to the mobile phone. Furthermore, such systems also include asecond software module operating independently on at least a pluralityof the mobile phones, and the second software module is configured toreceive the nuggets of the personal information of the user from thefirst software module through the Internet and through the mobile phonenetwork, and to store the personal information on the mobile phone sothat the personal information may later be accessed by the user evenwhen the mobile phone is not connected to a mobile phone network, byviewing a folder containing nuggets organized by subject matter.

In some such embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, thesecond software module is downloadable by users from the first softwaremodule to the mobile phones through the website and through the mobilephone network. In addition, in some embodiments, for at least aplurality of the users, the first software module includes instructionsto search at least a plurality of e-mails for keywords, identifyingnumbers, or both, and to select the nuggets of the personal informationfrom the e-mails using the keywords or identifying numbers. In some suchembodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, the first softwaremodule contains instructions to receive a command from the user throughthe mobile phone network to dispute a financial transaction for aparticular account described in the nuggets of the personal information,and upon the receipt of the command, to communicate or transmit adispute of the transaction to a manager of the particular account, forexample, through the Internet.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users,the second software module contains instructions to allow the user toselect at least a portion of the personal information that is stored onthe mobile phone, select or enter an identifier of a different party, adifferent party mobile phone, or both, and elect to send the (at leasta) portion of the personal information to the different party mobilephone. In many embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, thefirst software module further contains instructions to evaluate whetherthe different party mobile phone contains a copy of the second softwaremodule, and if the different party mobile phone contains a copy of thesecond software module, then to send the (at least a) portion of thepersonal information to the copy of the second software module on thedifferent party mobile phone through the mobile phone network. In somesuch embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, the firstsoftware module further contains instructions to receive a command fromthe user through the mobile phone network, and upon the receipt of thecommand, to transmit at least a portion of the nuggets of the personalinformation to a different party through the Internet.

In other embodiments, the invention provides various methods of managinginformation for at least a plurality of users using the Internet andmobile phones of the users. In a particular such embodiment, the methodincludes for each of a plurality of the users, (in any order) receivinga first set of personal information of the user from the user throughthe Internet, the mobile phone of the user, or both, wherein the firstset of personal information includes identification of a criteria foralarming, and for each of a plurality of the users, receiving a secondset of personal information of each user from at least one third partythrough a network. In this embodiment, the method also includes, foreach of a plurality of the users, selecting a fraction of the second setof personal information, and for each of a plurality of the users,transmitting the fraction of the second set of personal information tothe user's mobile phone through the mobile phone network for storage onthe user's mobile phone using a second software module residing on thephone. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second software moduleorganizes the fraction of the second set of personal information andmakes the fraction of the second set of personal information accessibleto the user. This embodiment also includes, for each of a plurality ofthe users, repeating at least a plurality of times the receiving of thesecond set of personal information, the selecting of the fraction, andthe transmitting of the fraction. And this method also includes, foreach of a plurality of the users, using the second software module,providing an alarm to the user if at least a portion of the fraction ofthe second set of personal information satisfies the criteria.

Another embodiment of such a method includes receiving a first set ofpersonal information of the user from the user through the Internet orthrough the mobile phone of the user (or both), and upon instruction bythe user, downloading a second software module to the user's mobilephone through the mobile phone network. This embodiment also includesreceiving a second set of personal information of the user from at leastone third party through a network. This embodiment further includesselecting a fraction of the second set of personal information,encrypting the fraction of the second set of personal information, andtransmitting the fraction of the second set of personal information tothe user's mobile phone through the mobile phone network for storage onthe user's mobile phone using the second software module residing on thephone. Further, this embodiment includes decrypting the fraction of thesecond set of personal information, and using the second software moduleresiding on the phone, organizing the fraction of the second set ofpersonal information based on topic, as well as using the secondsoftware module residing on the phone to make the fraction of the secondset of personal information accessible to the user based on the topic ofthe information. Even further, this embodiment includes repeating atleast a plurality of times the receiving of the second set of personalinformation, the selecting of the fraction, the encrypting of thefraction, the transmitting of the fraction, the decrypting of thefraction, the organizing of the fraction, and the making the fractionaccessible to the user, and the repeating further includes synchronizingat least a portion of the fraction of the second set of personalinformation that is stored on the user's mobile phone with correspondingpersonal information that was already stored on the mobile phone, whilemaintaining the organization of the information based on the topic ofthe information.

In various embodiments of either of these methods, for each of aplurality of the users, the first set of personal information includesan identification of at least one financial account, the second set ofpersonal information includes an identification of deposits into theaccount, withdrawals from the account, and a balance of the account, andthe providing an alarm includes (or an alarm is provided that includes)alarming if a withdrawal exceeds a first threshold identified within thecriteria, alarming if the balance of the account drops below a secondthreshold identified within the criteria, or both. Further, in some ofthese methods, for each of a plurality of the users, the first set ofpersonal information includes travel information, an identification of acommon carrier or a travel agent, or a combination thereof, the secondset of personal information includes identification of a departure timeand a departure location, and the providing of an alarm includes (or analarm is provided that includes) alarming if there is a change in thedeparture time, the departure location, or both.

In many embodiments the method further includes, for each of a pluralityof the users, using local signal transmitting hardware located on theuser's mobile phone, and using the second software module, under thecontrol of the user, transmitting a local signal includes at least aportion of the first set of personal information or the second set ofpersonal information (or both) to a reader within proximity to themobile phone. Further, in particular embodiments, for each of aplurality of the users, the first set of personal information includesloyalty information or identification of a merchant or a serviceprovider (or a combination thereof), the first set of personalinformation or the second set of personal information (or both) includesthe loyalty information, the local signal includes at least a portion ofthe loyalty information, and the transmitting of the local signalincludes transmitting the (at least a) portion of the loyaltyinformation to the merchant, the service provider, or both. Further, inparticular embodiments, the method further includes using signalreceiving hardware located on the user's mobile phone, and using thesecond software module, under the control of the user, receiving a localsignal from a transmitter within proximity to the mobile phone.

Further still, in various embodiments, the method further includes, inany order, for at least a plurality of the users, upon instruction bythe user, transmitting at least a portion of the second set of personalinformation to a different party mobile phone through the mobile phonenetwork for storage on the different party mobile phone, for access bythe different party. In some embodiments, the method further includes,in any order, for at least a plurality of the users, upon command by theuser, wherein the command is provided through the mobile phone of theuser, transmitting at least a portion of the second set of personalinformation to a different party through the Internet. And in particularembodiments, the portion of the second set of personal informationincludes a travel itinerary.

Still further, in some embodiments, the method further includes, foreach of a plurality of the users, before the transmitting of thefraction of the second set of personal information to the user's mobilephone, encrypting the fraction of the second set of personalinformation, compressing the fraction of the second set of personalinformation, or both and the repeating includes repeating theencrypting, compressing, or both. In some such methods, for each of aplurality of the users, the second software module organizes thefraction of the second set of personal information based on topic andmakes the fraction of the second set of personal information accessibleto the user based on the topic of the information.

Additionally, in many embodiments, for each of a plurality of the users,the repeating includes replacing at least a portion of the fraction ofthe second set of personal information that is stored on the user'smobile phone, while maintaining the organization of the informationbased on the topic of the information. And in various embodiments, foreach of a plurality of the users, the repeating includes synchronizingat least a portion of the fraction of the second set of personalinformation that is stored on the user's mobile phone with correspondingpersonal information that was already stored on the mobile phone, whilemaintaining the organization of the information based on the topic ofthe information. And further, in many embodiments, the receiving of thefirst set of personal information, the receiving of the second set ofpersonal information, the selecting of the fraction, and thetransmitting of the fraction, are all performed by the first softwaremodule residing on a server connected to the Internet, wherein the firstsoftware module further forms at least one Internet website.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating, among other things, an exampleof an environment in which various embodiments of the invention mayoperate and various examples of systems of managing information for anumber of users, illustrating examples of embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating examples of various methods,including, for instance, methods of managing information for at least aplurality of users using the Internet and mobile phones of the users;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating examples of various methods,including, for instance, methods of authorizing actions, methods ofauthenticating transactions, and methods of authenticating access, inmany embodiments, using mobile phones;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating examples of various methods,including, for instance, methods of providing positional awareness, inmany embodiments, using mobile phones; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are block diagrams illustrating particular examples ofsystems of managing personal information for a number of users.

The drawings illustrate, among other things, various particular examplesof embodiments of the invention, and certain examples of characteristicsthereof. Different embodiments of the invention include variouscombinations of elements or acts shown in the drawings, describedherein, known in the art, or a combination thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS

Examples of embodiments of the invention include apparatuses, systems,for instance, with server modules and phone modules, and methods ofmanaging information and providing alarms. Particular embodimentsinclude systems of managing personal information for a plurality ofusers, each user having a mobile phone operating on a mobile phonenetwork, and methods of managing information for at least a plurality ofusers using the internet and mobile phones of the users.

Particular embodiments include methods for authorizing actions usingmobile phones. Embodiments may include acts such as receiving from aperson having authority to authorize the action, an identification of aphone number for obtaining authorization for the action, and receivingfrom a person seeking the action a request for authorization of theaction. Certain embodiments also include acts such as sending a firstmessage through a mobile phone network to the mobile phone, including adescription of the action for which authorization is requested, andreceiving, from the first mobile phone, a second message, whichauthorizes the action. Actions that are authorized, in differentembodiments, include computer access, physical access, and financialtransactions, as examples. In various embodiments, the phone number maybe received through the mobile phone network, through the Internet,through a local signal, or directly from the user, as examples.

Other embodiments include methods for authenticating access andproviding positional awareness using mobile phones. Examples ofembodiments for authenticating access include receiving identificationindicia from a person seeking access, sending a message to a personhaving authority for access, and receiving either a second messageindicating that the person has taken an affirmative action to indicateauthorization, or a password that was provided in the first message.Access may be computer access or physical access, as examples. Examplesof methods of providing positional awareness include obtaining orstoring location coordinates, monitoring the location of a mobile phone,and providing an alarm, for example, through a second mobile phone. In anumber of embodiments, location coordinates are automatically obtainedfrom Internet websites, for example. In some embodiments, for example,parents can monitor the location of their children to make sure they donot get too close to a reported residence of a registered sex offender,for instance.

Various embodiments of the invention provide on mobile devices, items orinformation that might otherwise be found in a person's wallet or purse,for example. Such a mobile device may be a phone, Palm Pilot, personaldigital assistant, or the like, for example. The mobile device is oftenreferred to herein as a “phone” or “mobile phone”, but it should beunderstood that it may have other functionality or be another type ofmobile device in some embodiments. Thus, in certain embodiments, aperson may be able to leave their wallet or purse behind and bring justtheir phone, for example, when they leave home, go shopping, go to arestaurant, travel, or the like, or their phone may provide a backup totheir wallet, for instance, or vice versa. In other embodiments, a phonemay provide a portion of the functionality or information found in awallet, or may contain additional information or functionality as well.

In some embodiments, a user may be able to enter information into awebsite, or may authorize entry of information into the website byothers, which may be transmitted to the phone automatically for storage.In addition, in some embodiments, users may be able to enter informationthrough their phone for transfer to the website server. In variousembodiments, third parties, such as airlines, financial institutionssuch as banks, and the like, may provide information to the website,some or all of which may be transferred to the phone. Further, in someembodiments, certain such information may provide an alert or alarm tothe user, for example, regarding important information such asnotification of large deposits or withdrawals, changes in flightinformation, location of children, etc. In various embodiments, a usermay be able to view other information on the phone, on the website, orboth, such as, for example, bank account balances, transactionhistories, frequent flier miles, credit card bills, automatic depositsand withdrawals, insurance information, warranties, service contracts,and the like.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of an environment in which variousembodiments of the invention may operate, and also illustrates variousexamples of systems, including systems of managing information for anumber of users. System 100 is, among other things, an example of anInternet-based system for managing information that is transferred toand stored on a mobile phone, which is accomplished in many embodimentswhile maintaining an acceptable level of data security. In the exampleof system 100, users 21, 22, and 23 own, use, or have access to mobilephones 41, 42, and 43 respectively, which are serviced through mobilephone network 40. Although one mobile phone network 40 is shown, someembodiments may include or use a number of mobile phone networks, whichmay be interconnected, for example. As used herein, unless specificallystated otherwise, a “mobile phone network” may be a cellular network, aWiFi system, WiMAX, or another way to network mobile phones. Further,the three users 21 to 23 and mobile phones 41 to 43 shown may serve asexamples of a larger number of users and mobile phones. Many users ofsystem 100 may have access to the Internet 10. For example, in theembodiment illustrated, user 23 has access to the Internet 10 throughpersonal computer 13. Further, in this embodiment, mobile phone network40 is in communication with the Internet 10, or information is capableof being communicated between mobile phone network 40 and the Internet10.

In the embodiment illustrated, server 15 is in communication with theInternet 10. In this embodiment, server 15 is part of system 100, whichprovides an example of a system of managing personal information for aplurality of users (e.g., 21 to 23), each user having a mobile phone(e.g., 41 to 43) operating on a mobile phone network (e.g., 40). In thisexample, system 100 includes, on server 15, (at least one) firstsoftware module 61. Although shown just on server 15, in someembodiments, module 61 may be installed on or operating on more than oneserver. In certain embodiments, software module 61 may form at least onewebsite 65. In this embodiment, at least a plurality of users (e.g., 21to 23) may access or visit website 65 through the Internet 10 and electto have their personal information managed through system 100 usingtheir mobile phones (e.g., 41 to 43). For example, user 23 may accesswebsite 65 through computer 13 and internet 10. In differentembodiments, computer 13 may be a desk top personal computer, a lap topor notebook computer, a PDA, etc. In some embodiments, users may accesswebsite 65 on server 15 through their phones (e.g., 41 to 43), throughmobile phone network 40, or both.

In many embodiments, first software module 61 provides secure storage 64for each user's (e.g., 21 to 23) personal information, for example,received from the user. In a number of embodiments, storage 64 may alsobe used to store personal information about the users that has beenreceived by module 61 or server 15 from at least one third party, whichmay be acting on behalf of the user to provide information to the user,for example. In the embodiment illustrated, third party 33 may providesuch information to module 61 through the Internet 10, and third party31 may provide such information to module 61 through mobile telephonenetwork 40 and the Internet 10. In some embodiments, information that iscommunicated through mobile telephone network 40 may also, or instead,be communicated through a traditional phone network, for example, thatprovides direct wired phone service for a number of users.

In the embodiment illustrated, third party 32 also provides informationto module 61 on server 15 through a communication means other than theInternet 10. Such a communication means may be, for example, a privatenetwork, a local area network (LAN) a wide area network (WAN), atelephone network, a financial or bank card network, etc. Third parties31, 32, and 33 are examples of data providers, or personal dataprovides. Third parties 31 to 33 may be, for example, financialinstitutions, airlines, bank card providers, merchants, an employer oremployee of the user, news providers, health care providers, insurancecompanies, stock brokers, governmental agencies, non-governmentalorganizations, etc.

Website 65 may include a main or home page (or more than one such page)to which new users and new third parties may be directed. New users maybe directed to this page or pages or to website 65 by search engines,advertisers, brokers, agents, or the like, as examples. Users (e.g., 21to 23) may be assigned or asked to elect user names, user ID's,passwords, etc., which they may use to access secure areas or pages ofwebsite 65, for example, where their personal information may beentered, displayed, updated, etc. In some embodiments, security of suchareas may be provided using novel systems and methods which will bedescribed herein, for example. In some embodiments, these secure areasmay include information entered by third parties (e.g., 31, 32, and 33).Further, in some embodiments, third parties (e.g., 31 to 33) may havetheir own secure areas (e.g., that are password protected, or protectedas described herein) in which they may be able to enter, view, update,or a combination thereof, information for a number of users.

In the embodiment illustrated, the first software module 61 filters thepersonal information and selects nuggets of the personal informationwhich the first software module 61 sends to the mobile phone (e.g., 41)of the appropriate user (e.g., 21). As used herein, a “nugget ofinformation” is a discrete piece of information that is a subset of thetotal information. Nuggets of information may be in digital form, forexample, and may be in text form, in the form of numbers or values, or acombination thereof, as examples. In some embodiments, nuggets mayinclude pictures, text, graphics, or the like, as further examples.These nuggets may be sent, for example, through mobile phone network 40,for instance, and may be sent as text or short message service (SMS)messages, for instance. In some embodiments, server 15 may access mobilephone network 40 through the Internet 10, for example.

In the embodiment illustrated, a second software module 72, is operating(e.g., independently) on at least a plurality of the mobile phones(e.g., 41 to 43, although module 72 is shown only on phone 41). Further,in this embodiment, the second software module 72 is configured toreceive the nuggets of the personal information of the user (e.g., 21)from the first software module 61 through the Internet 10 and throughmobile phone network 40, and to store the personal information on mobilephone 41 so that the personal information may later be accessed by user21, for example, even when mobile phone 41 is not connected to mobilephone network 40. In the embodiment illustrated, user 21 may access thepersonal information, for instance, by viewing folder 76 containingnuggets 78 and 79, which may be organized by subject matter, forexample. One such subject may be financial information, for example,which may include account balances, transaction records, etc., andanother such subject, in some embodiments, may be travel information, asanother example, which may include, for example, flight departure timesand locations, etc. Other examples of subjects are described herein, andinclude insurance information, bank card information, medical records,appointments, and the like.

In some such embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users (e.g.,21 to 23), second software module 72 is downloadable by the users fromfirst software module 61 to the mobile phones (e.g., 41 to 43), forexample, through website 65, through the Internet 10, through mobilephone network 40, or a combination thereof. Further, in someembodiments, for at least a plurality of the users (e.g., 21 to 23),first software module 61 includes instructions to search at least aplurality of e-mails received for users (e.g., 21 to 23) for keywords,identifying numbers, or both, and to select the nuggets (e.g., 78 and79) of the personal information from the e-mails using the keywords,identifying numbers, or both. For example, software module 61 may searche-mails received for a specific user (e.g., 21, 22, or 23) for accountnumbers, flight numbers, names of third parties, etc., and may extractnuggets of information pertaining thereto. In some embodiments, softwaremodule 61 may search all e-mails (e.g., sent to particular users), whilein other embodiments, only e-mails from certain sources, or certaine-mail addresses may be searched.

In addition, in some such embodiments, for at least a plurality of theusers, second software module 72 contains instructions to allow the user(e.g., 21) to select at least a portion of the personal information thatis stored on the mobile phone (e.g., select nugget 78), select or enteran identifier of at least one of a different party (e.g., 22) and adifferent party mobile phone (e.g., 42), and elect to send the personalinformation (e.g., nugget 78) to the different party mobile phone (e.g.,42). Examples of such a different party are other users, for instance,for user 21, users 22 and 23 may be different parties, and their phones42 and 43 may be different party mobile phones. Examples of such anidentifier include the name of the different party, the phone number forthe different party, a user identification number, etc. In manyembodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, the first softwaremodule 61 further contains instructions to evaluate whether thedifferent party mobile phone has certain functionality or contains acopy of particular software, such as second software module 72.

In some such embodiments, if the different party mobile phone contains acopy of the second software module 72, for example, then the firstsoftware module 61 may send the (at least a) portion of the personalinformation to the copy of the second software module 72 on thedifferent party mobile phone, for instance, through mobile phone network40, the Internet 10, or both. On the other hand, in some embodiments, ifthe different party mobile phone does not contain a copy of the secondsoftware module 72, for example, or in some cases other software havingadequate equivalent functionality, then the first software module 61 maysend the (at least a) portion of the personal information to thedifferent party mobile phone, in another form, for instance, in the formof a standard e-mail or text message. In other embodiments, softwaremodule 72 may send the information directly to the different partyrather than having the first software module (e.g., module 61) do it. Insome embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users, the firstsoftware module 61 further contains instructions to receive a commandfrom the user (e.g., from user 21), for instance, through mobile phonenetwork 40, and upon the receipt of the command, to transmit at least aportion of the nuggets of the personal information to a different party(e.g., to user 22 or 23, or specifically, in some embodiments, to theirphones 42 or 43), for example, through the Internet 10.

In addition, in some embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users,first software module 61 contains instructions to receive a command fromthe user, for instance, through mobile phone network 40, to dispute afinancial transaction for a particular account described in the nuggetsof the personal information. In particular embodiments, for example,upon the receipt of the command, first software module 61 may containinstructions to transmit a dispute of the transaction to a manager ofthe particular account through a network, such as Internet 10, forexample. The manager of the account may be third party 33, for example,and may be a bank or financial institution, for instance. Such a disputeof the transaction may be transmitted to the third party (e.g., 33) inthe form of an e-mail or a text message, for example, sent via theInternet 10, mobile phone network 40, or both, while in otherembodiments, a dispute of a transaction may be sent through a private orfinancial network, as another example.

Further, in some embodiments, some or all of the mobile phones (e.g., 41to 43) may be configured to transmit, receive, or both, local signals.For example, in the embodiment illustrated, mobile phone 42 includeslocal transmitter, receiver, antenna, or a combination thereof, localcommunication device 82, which, in this embodiment, communicates withreader or local communication device 88. In different embodiments,device 88 may read signals, send signals, or both. Communicationsdevices 82 and 88 may exchange signals in one or both directions throughnear-field communications, a personal area network, Bluetooth, barcodes, WiFi, or the like, as examples.

Various embodiments of the invention provide for extracting particularinformation from a user's e-mails and sending that information to theuser's mobile phone. Referring to FIG. 1, particular embodimentsinclude, for example, various systems for managing information for atleast a plurality of users (e.g., 21 to 23) using the Internet 10 andmobile phones (e.g., 41 to 43) of the users (e.g., 21 to 23). In manyembodiments, the system includes a first software module 67 for sortinginformation. Such a software module 67 may be located on server 15, forexample, and may be or be part of module 61, for instance, as shown. Insome embodiments, first software module 67 includes programminginstructions to receive a plurality of e-mails containing informationabout the business of the user (e.g., one of users 21 to 23). Thesee-mails may be all or a select portion of e-mails that have been sent tothe particular user's (e.g., one of users 21 to 23) e-mail address, forexample, via Internet 10.

The information about the business of the user may be, or include, asexamples, personal information, financial information, travelinformation, information concerning financial accounts, financialtransactions, expenditures, purchases, savings, loans, etc., or otherinformation described herein or known in the art. Further, informationabout the business of the user may concern the user's personal affairsor the affairs of a business that is owned, controlled, managed,invested in, or an employer of the user, as additional examples. In someembodiments, fewer than all (i.e., select) e-mails sent to theparticular user (e.g., one of users 21 to 23) may be received (e.g., atfirst software module 67). For example, in some embodiments, onlye-mails sent from one or more particular senders or entities (e.g., fromsome or all of third parties 31 to 33) may be received (i.e., selecte-mails), by module 67. Such senders (e.g., some or all of third parties31 to 33) may include, for example, banks, financial institutions, cardproviders, airlines, travel agents, etc., or other examples of thirdparties 31 to 33 described herein, which may have been selected by theuser (e.g., one of users 21 to 23) in certain embodiments.

In some embodiments, first software module 67 also includes programminginstructions to search at least a plurality of the (e.g., select)e-mails for keywords or identifying numbers (or both), as examples, andextract particular information from the select e-mails. Examples of suchkeywords and identifying numbers include account numbers, frequent flyernumbers, flight numbers, words like “balance”, “withdrawal”, “debit”,“delayed”, “gate”, “flight”, “cancelled”, or the like. Such particularinformation may include, for instance, account balances, amounts ofwithdrawals or debits from, or deposits to, accounts, amounts of bankcard billings, travel information such as departure times, departurelocations, status of flights, etc. In various embodiments, the firstsoftware module 67 also includes programming instructions to send theparticular information to the user's (e.g., one of users 21 to 23)mobile phone (e.g., the appropriate one of phones 41 to 43) through, forinstance, mobile phone network 40, the Internet 10, or both.

Various embodiments also include second software module 77 for running(e.g., that is running) on the user's mobile phone (e.g., theappropriate one of phones 41 to 43), which may include programminginstructions to store (e.g., in storage 64 or folder 76) the particularinformation on the user's mobile phone (e.g., the appropriate one ofphones 41 to 43), and provide access to the particular information bythe user (e.g., one of users 21 to 23). Such a second software module 77may be, for example, part of software module 72 shown in FIG. 1 onmobile phone 41. The particular information may be, include, or beincluded within, for example, the nuggets 78, 79, or both, for instance,as described herein.

Some such embodiments also include a third software module 17 configuredfor running on the user's computer (e.g., computer 13 of user 23), (orthat is actually running on the user's computer) that includesprogramming instructions to search for e-mails from at least oneparticular sender (e.g., from one or more of third parties 31 to 33) andto send the e-mails from the at least one particular sender, forexample, through the Internet 10, to first software module 67. Invarious embodiments, module 17 may forward e-mails to module 67, and indifferent embodiments, the e-mails may be kept as new, marked as read,or marked as forwarded on the user's computer (e.g., computer 13 of user23), or may be deleted or erased therefrom. In certain embodiments,third software module 17 may be a plug-in for an e-mail managementapplication, such as MICROSOFT OUTLOOK, for example.

Further, in some embodiments, first software module 67 includesprogramming instructions to encrypt the particular information beforesending the particular information to the user's mobile phone (e.g.,41). In some embodiments, second software module 77 includes programminginstructions to decrypt the particular information. Even further, insome embodiments, first software module 67 includes programminginstructions to compress the particular information before sending theparticular information to the user's mobile phone (e.g., 41). And insome embodiments, second software module 77 includes programminginstructions to decompress the particular information. Decryption andcompression may be used together or separately in different embodiments.

Additionally, in certain embodiments, first software module 67 includesprogramming instructions to receive instructions from the user (e.g.,user 21) identifying at least one threshold for alarm for at least aportion of the particular information. In particular such embodiments,first software module 67 or second software module 77 (or both) includesprogramming instructions to compare at least a portion of the particularinformation to the threshold. Furthermore, in some embodiments, firstsoftware module 67 or second software module 77 (or both) includesprogramming instructions to provide an alarm to the user if theparticular information passes the threshold. Such an alarm may be, forexample, in a manner described herein, such as an audible alarm a lightor display, a vibratory alarm, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, for example, for one or each of multiple users(e.g., users 21 to 23), the particular information includes financialaccount information, which may include, for instance, amounts ofwithdrawals or debits from an account, such as a financial or bankaccount. In certain embodiments, the (e.g., at least one) threshold maybe, or include, the amount of a withdrawal or debit, for example, andfirst software module 67 or second software module 77 (or both) mayinclude programming instructions to provide an alarm to the user [e.g.,the appropriate one (or more) of users 21 to 23] if a withdrawal or adebit (or both) exceeds the threshold. In another example, in someembodiments, for each of a plurality of the users (e.g., users 21 to23), the particular information includes travel information, whichincludes a departure time, a departure location (e.g., a departuregate), or both. In some such embodiments, first software module 67 orsecond software module 77 (or both) includes programming instructions toprovide an alarm if there is a change in the departure time or thedeparture location (or both), as examples. In other embodiments, alarmsmay be provided for other thresholds or other criteria.

Further, in a number of embodiments, for one or more of the users (e.g.,users 21 to 23), second software module 77 contains programminginstructions to allow the user (e.g., user 21) to select at least aportion of the particular information that is stored on the mobile phone(e.g., 41), select or enter a third party mobile phone number (e.g., thephone number of user 22), and elect to send at least a portion of theparticular information to the third party mobile phone (e.g., to mobilephone 42 of user 22). In some embodiments, for at least a plurality ofthe users (e.g., user 21), first software module 67 further containsinstructions to evaluate whether the third party mobile phone (e.g.,mobile phone 42 of user 22) contains a copy of second software module77, module 72, or both. In some such embodiments, if the third partymobile phone (e.g., mobile phone 42 of user 22). contains a copy ofsecond software module 77, for example, then first software module 67may send the portion of the personal information to the copy of secondsoftware module 77 on the third party mobile phone (e.g., mobile phone42 of user 22) for example, through mobile phone network 40, theInternet, or both.

The invention also provides various methods, including, for example,methods of managing information for a number of users, methods ofauthorizing actions, methods of authenticating transactions, methods ofauthenticating access, and methods of alarming as to proximity to alocation. FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate examples of such methods, anddifferent methods in accordance with the invention may include aselection of the operations or acts shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, describedherein, or both, which may be performed or accomplished in the orderpresented, or in many embodiments, in a different order.

Turning now to FIG. 2, this figure is a flowchart illustrating examplesof various methods, including, for instance, methods of managinginformation for a number of users using the Internet and mobile phonesof the users. Many embodiments of the invention have some but not all ofthe acts shown in FIG. 2. In the particular embodiment illustrated,method 200 includes receiving information from a user (act 205). Thismay include, in some embodiments, at least for each of a plurality ofthe users, receiving a first set of personal information (e.g., of theuser) from the user through at least one of the Internet and the mobilephone of the user.

For example, user 23 shown in FIG. 1 may go to or access website 65through computer 13 and the Internet 10, may open an account, and mayenter information, select options, etc. Information that may be enteredor selected may include, for example, names of financial institutions,account numbers, names of airlines, frequent flyer numbers, names ofinsurance companies, insurance policy numbers, driver's license numbers,passport information, etc. In some cases, this personal information maybe complete, while in other cases, the first set of personal informationmay include information to facilitate receipt or completion ofinformation from one or more third parties (e.g., 31 to 33), such as byidentifying the third parties, accounts, etc.

Further, in some embodiments, the first set of personal informationincludes identification of information that is important to the user,which may include a criteria for alarming. Such a criteria (e.g.,received in act 205) may be entered by the user or selected from one ormore menus, for example. The criteria may include, for instance, anelection to receive an alarm if a withdrawal, debit, or charge from afinancial account exceeds a threshold that is entered or selected by theuser. In some embodiments, the criteria (e.g., received in act 205) mayinclude a selection or indication of whether the user is to receivealarms throughout the day, or only during certain hours of the day, asanother example, which may vary depending upon the nature of the alarmor the particular threshold. Other examples of alarms include whethertravel departure times, departure locations, or the like, have changed,whether bills are due, whether insurance coverage has expired, whetherstock prices have changed, whether weather conditions or forecasts, orother environmental conditions meet a certain criteria, whether adocument or credential is about to expire, whether someone has requesteda particular action or access, whether children have traveled into aregion of concern, etc.

In certain embodiments, method 200 further includes downloading a mobilephone module (act 210). In some embodiments, for example, for at least aplurality of users, the user instructs the server (e.g., 15) or selectsat a website (e.g., 65) to download a mobile phone module, for example,second software module 72 shown in FIG. 1. In a particular embodiment,for instance, second software module 72 is downloaded from firstsoftware module 61 through the Internet 10 and mobile phone network 40to mobile phone 41, upon instruction by user 21. In other embodiments,software module 72 may be downloaded to mobile phone 43, for example,through the Internet 10, and computer 13, for instance, through a USBport or a wireless network. In other embodiments, software module 72 maybe loaded onto the phone at a store where the mobile phone waspurchased, or at an establishment of the entity that controls server 15,that operates website 65, or that provides a service or system ofmanaging information for a number of users.

In a number of embodiments of the invention, and in the particularembodiment shown in FIG. 2, method 200 includes receiving informationfrom third parties (act 215). In some embodiments, for example, for eachof a plurality of the users, this act (215) includes receiving a secondset of personal information of each user from at least one third party,for instance, through a network (e.g., the Internet 10). In manyembodiments, this act (215) may be performed or accomplished, for aparticular user, after receiving personal information (act 205) fromthat particular user, which may identify the third party, provideinformation with which the third party can identify the particular user,identify particular information that the particular user authorizes orrequests be provided from the third party, identify bank accounts, etc.

In many embodiments, the user may directly request a third party to sendthe information. For example the user may visit a third party website(e.g., via the Internet 10), login to the third party website andprovide information to the third party through the website to identifythe user in system 100 (FIG. 1), which would also indicate the user'swillingness for the third party to send the information. In variousembodiments, the information received from the third parties (e.g., inact 215) may include one or more account balances, one or moredescriptions of account transactions (e.g., an amount of a withdrawal,which may include, who the withdrawal is to), flight information,changes in flight information, insurance information, loyaltyinformation, passwords, pass codes, calendar entries, navigationalinformation, account numbers, bank card numbers, location informationconcerning regions of concern, etc.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 200 further includes selecting afraction of the information (act 220). In some embodiments, for example,a fraction of the information received from the third parties (e.g., inact 215) may be selected, for example, by the first software module 61.As used herein, “selecting a fraction” of certain information meansselecting less than all of that information. For example, particularsubsets or nuggets of the information may be selected. In someembodiments, the fraction of the information may be selected (e.g., inact 220) using a criteria that has been predefined (e.g., in module 61).In some embodiments, the fraction of the information may be selected(e.g., in act 220) using the criteria (e.g., received in act 205).

In various embodiments, in act 220, particular information is selectedthat is considered to be of particular importance or concern to theuser. Examples include changes in departure time, status, or departurelocation for a flight that the user is booked on, withdrawals from anaccount that exceed a threshold, account balances, etc. In particularembodiments, for each of a plurality of the users, for instance, act 220may include selecting a fraction of the second set of personalinformation described herein, while in various embodiments, act 220 mayinclude selecting a fraction of the first set of personal informationinstead, or in addition.

Various embodiments of the invention include encrypting the fraction ofthe information (act 225). The information that is encrypted may be thefraction of the information that is selected in act 220, for example. Insome embodiments, a fraction of the second set of personal informationin encrypted (e.g., in act 225), for example. Information may beencrypted (e.g., in act 225), for example, to maintain itsconfidentiality. Information may be encrypted (e.g., in act 225), forexample, using PGP (pretty good privacy), public-key cryptography,asymmetric key encryption, or the like, as examples.

Further, Various embodiments of the invention include compressing thefraction of the information (act 230). The information that iscompressed may be the fraction of the information that is selected inact 220, for example. In some embodiments, a fraction of the second setof personal information in compressed (e.g., in act 230), for instance.Information may be compressed (e.g., in act 230), for example, to makeit easier, quicker, or less expensive to transmit, store, or both.

In different embodiments, information may be compressed (e.g., in act230), encrypted (e.g., in act 225), or both, in either order. In someembodiments, method 200 further includes, for each of a plurality of theusers, before the transmitting of the fraction of the second set ofpersonal information (e.g., act 235), for example, to the user's mobilephone, at least one of encrypting (e.g., act 225) the fraction of thesecond set of personal information (e.g., selected in act 220), andcompressing (act 230) the fraction of the second set of personalinformation (e.g., selected in act 220). In certain embodiments, theencrypting (e.g., act 225), and the compressing (act 230), for example,of the fraction of the second set of personal information (e.g.,selected in act 220), may be repeated, for instance, along with otheracts, as described herein.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 200 also includes, as mentioned,transmitting information (act 235). Such information may include, forexample, the fraction of the second set of personal information (e.g.,selected in act 220). In various embodiments, the receiving (act 205),for example, of the first set of personal information, the receiving(act 215), for example, of the second set of personal information, theselecting of the fraction (act 220), and the transmitting of thefraction (act 235), are all performed by the first software module 61residing on server 15 connected to the Internet 10. And in someembodiments, the first software module 61 further forms the (at leastone) Internet website 65. In some embodiments, methods include, forexample, for each of a plurality of the users, transmitting the fraction(e.g., selected in act 220) of the second set of personal information tothe user's mobile phone, for example, through the mobile phone network(e.g., network 40 shown in FIG. 1) for storage on the user's mobilephone, for instance, using second software module 72 (e.g., residing onthe phone).

In this embodiment, method 200 further includes evaluating whetherinformation satisfies a criteria (act 240). Such a criteria may be, asdescribed herein, or provided or selected by the user (e.g., in act205). If the information (e.g., the fraction of the information selectedin act 220, transmitted in act 235, or both) satisfies the criteria(e.g., for alarming, for instance, as determined in act 240), then analarm may be provided (act 245). In some embodiments, the methodincludes, for each of a plurality of the users, for example, using thesecond software module, providing an alarm to the user (act 245) if atleast a portion of the fraction of the second set of personalinformation satisfies the criteria. Such an alarm (e.g., of act 245) maybe audible, visual, or, for example, in the form of a vibration. In someembodiments, a sound or vibration may be produced by the mobile phone ofthe user (e.g., in act 245), and the reason for the alarm may bedisplayed on the screen of the phone, for instance. In some embodiments,the default ring tone of the phone or an existing phone ring setting maybe used for the alarm (e.g., in act 245), as examples.

In some embodiments, the user may be prompted to acknowledge the alarmor the description of the reason for the alarm, or may be asked to makea response or take an affirmative action to provide consent, forexample, for the reason for the alarm or an event described in thedescription. For example, if the reason for the alarm is that awithdrawal has been made from the user's bank account, the mobile phonemay ring or vibrate. The user may then open the phone or press a buttonon the phone to acknowledge the alarm. The phone may then display theamount of the withdrawal, for example, along with a description of theaccount, and of the transaction. In some embodiments, the user may beasked to make a selection to provide consent to the withdrawal, forinstance. In another scenario, the phone may ring to provide an alarmthat the user's flight has been delayed, as another example. The usermay open the phone to acknowledge the alarm, and a brief description ofthe delay, and new estimated departure time, may be provided on thescreen of the mobile phone, for instance. Other examples are describedherein.

In some such methods, for example, for each of a plurality of the users,the first set of personal information (e.g., received in act 205)includes an identification of at least one financial account, the secondset of personal information (e.g., received in act 215) includes anidentification of deposits into the account, withdrawals from theaccount, and a balance of the account, and, the providing of an alarm(act 245) includes at least one of alarming if a withdrawal exceeds afirst threshold identified within the criteria, and alarming if thebalance of the account drops below a second threshold identified withinthe criteria. As used herein, such a “withdrawal” may be a debit from ora charge to the account, as examples.

As another example, in some methods, for each of a plurality of theusers, the first set of personal information (e.g., received in act 205)includes at least one of travel information (e.g., frequent flyerinformation such as a frequent flyer identification number) and anidentification of at least one of a common carrier and a travel agent.Further, in some embodiments, the second set of personal information(e.g., received in act 215) includes travel itinerary, which may includeidentification of a departure time and a departure location, forexample. And the providing of an alarm (act 245) may include alarming ifthere is a change in at least one of the departure time and thedeparture location, in some embodiments. In many embodiments, if theinformation (e.g., the fraction of the information selected in act 220,transmitted in act 235, or both) does not satisfy the criteria (e.g.,for alarming, for instance, as determined in act 240), then an alarm maynot be provided, and act 245 may be skipped, at least for thatparticular iteration of method 200.

In various embodiments, method 200 further includes transmittinginformation to a different party (act 255). In many such embodiments,the user may (e.g., first) select, or otherwise provide instructions orcommands to send certain information to the third party (evaluated inact 250). In particular, in some embodiments, (e.g., in the orderindicated or in another order), for at least a plurality of the users,method 200 may include, upon instruction by the user (e.g., evaluated inact 250), transmitting (e.g., in act 255) at least a portion of thesecond set of personal information (e.g., received in act 215, selectedin act 220, transmitted in act 235, or a combination thereof) to adifferent party mobile phone. In some embodiments, this may beaccomplished through the mobile phone network (e.g., 40) for storage onthe different party mobile phone, for instance, for access by thedifferent party.

Referring to FIG. 1 for an example, user 21 may provide an instructionor command (e.g., in act 250), for instance, through user 21's mobilephone 41, to send at least a portion of the information received (e.g.,in act 235), to different user 22, specifically, via mobile phone 42. Indifferent embodiments, mobile phone 41 may send the portion of theinformation to mobile phone 42, for example, through mobile phonenetwork 40, or mobile phone 41 may instruct server 15 or first softwaremodule 61 to send the portion of the information to mobile phone 42, forinstance, through the Internet 10, mobile phone network 40, or both, asexamples. In some embodiments, delivery may be certified, or deliverymay be tracked and the sender may be notified when delivery has beenaccomplished, or alternatively, when delivery has been unsuccessful.

In some embodiments, the first software module 61 receives a command(e.g., in act 250) from the user (e.g., 21), for instance, throughmobile phone network 40, and upon the receipt of the command (e.g., inact 250), transmits (e.g., in act 255) at least a portion of the nuggets(e.g., 78) or fraction of the personal information to the differentparty (e.g., 22) through the Internet 10. In some embodiments, thesystem (e.g., system 100) may send the particular information, fractionthereof, or nuggets in different ways (e.g., in act 255), depending onwhether the different party is a user of system 100 [e.g., has visitedwebsite 65 and elected to have their personal information managed bysystem 100, or has downloaded (e.g., act 210) or otherwise received, orhas installed, the second software module 72 on their mobile phone].

In some embodiments, the user (e.g., 21) may select (e.g., in act 250)at least a portion of the personal information that is stored on themobile phone (e.g., 41), select or enter (e.g., in act 250) anidentifier of at least one of a different party (e.g., 22) and adifferent party mobile phone (e.g., 42), and elect (e.g., in act 250) tosend (e.g., in act 255) the at least a portion of the personalinformation to the different party mobile phone (e.g., 42). In manyembodiments, the first software module 61 evaluates whether thedifferent party mobile phone (e.g., 42) contains a copy of the secondsoftware module 72, and if the different party mobile phone (e.g., 42)contains a copy of the second software module 72, then the firstsoftware module 61 sends (e.g., in act 255) the portion of the personalinformation to the copy of the second software module 72 on thedifferent party mobile phone (e.g., 42), for example, through the mobilephone network 40 (e.g., by SMS). In some embodiments, delivery may becertified, or a notification message may be sent (e.g., by SMS to user21) when delivery has been accomplished, or alternatively, after acertain amount of time or number of attempts when delivery has beenunsuccessful.

In particular embodiments, for example, the portion of the second set ofpersonal information (e.g., transmitted in act 255) includes a travelitinerary, for instance. Thus, a user is able to conveniently send theirtravel itinerary to another person. In FIG. 2, in many embodiments, ifthe user does not instruct particular information to be sent to adifferent party, then the act of transmitting information to a differentparty (act 255) is omitted, at least for that iteration of method 200.

Still referring to FIG. 2, in many embodiments of the invention, and inthe embodiment illustrated, method 200 further includes receiving alocal signal (act 260), transmitting a local signal (act 265) or both.As used herein, a local signal is a signal that is transmitted andreceived without going through the main transmitter that the mobilephone uses for placing telephone calls and without going through themain receiver that the mobile phone uses for receiving telephone calls.Similarly, a local signal does not go through the mobile phone network(e.g., 40). For example, a local signal from mobile phone 42 may betransmitted by local transmitter or communications device 82 andreceived (i.e., directly) by reader or communications device 88, or viceversa. Examples of local signals include near field communication (NFC)signals and Bluetooth communication signals, for example, that usetransmitters, receivers, or both (e.g., device 82), on the mobile phonethat are separate from the transmitter and receiver that are used fortelephone conversations.

In particular embodiments, method 200 further includes, for each of aplurality of the users, using signal receiving hardware (e.g., device 82shown in FIG. 1) located on the user's mobile phone (e.g., 42), andusing the second software module (e.g., 72), under the control of theuser (e.g., user 22), receiving (e.g., in act 260) a local signal from atransmitter (e.g., device 88) within proximity to the mobile phone(e.g., 42). Further, some embodiments of the invention include, forexample, for each of a plurality of the users, using local signaltransmitting hardware (e.g., device 82) located on the user's mobilephone (e.g., 42), and using the second software module (e.g., 72), underthe control of the user (e.g., 22), transmitting a local signal (e.g.,in act 265) that includes at least a portion of at least one of thefirst set of personal information (e.g., received in act 205) and thesecond set of personal information (e.g., received in act 215) to areader (e.g., device 88) within proximity to the mobile phone (e.g.,42). As used herein, “proximity”, in this context, means within ten (10)feet, and “close proximity” means within one (1) foot.

In particular embodiments, for example, for each of a plurality of theusers, the first set of personal information (e.g., received in act 205)includes at least one of loyalty information and identification of atleast one of a merchant and a service provider, and at least one of thefirst set of personal information (e.g., received in act 205) and thesecond set of personal information (e.g., received in act 215) includesthe loyalty information. Further in some such embodiments, the localsignal (e.g., transmitted in act 265) includes at least a portion of theloyalty information, and the transmitting of the local signal (e.g., act265) includes transmitting the at least a portion of the loyaltyinformation to at least one of the merchant and the service provider.Such a merchant and service provider are examples of the third parties31 to 33 shown in FIG. 1, for example. Thus, a user (e.g., 22) may beable to use their mobile phone (e.g., 42) to store and provide loyaltyinformation, for example, a COSTCO membership, membership to a healthclub, a SAFEWAY card, etc. In some embodiments, insurance informationmay be handled in such a manner, or similarly.

Local signals (e.g., between devices 82 and 88) may also (or instead) beused to make purchases or payments. In certain embodiments, as anexample, for each of a plurality of the users, the first set of personalinformation (e.g., received in act 205) includes at least one of bankcard information and an identification of at least one of a bank and abank card provider. Such a bank or a bank card provider may be furtherexamples of the third parties 31 to 33 shown in FIG. 1, for instance. Insome embodiments, at least one of the first set of personal information(e.g., received in act 205) and the second set of personal information(e.g., received in act 215) includes the bank card information, thelocal signal (e.g., transmitted in act 265) includes the bank cardinformation, and the transmitting of the local signal (e.g., in act 265)includes transmitting the bank card information to at least one of themerchant and the service provider to make or authorize a payment, asexamples. As used herein, the phrase “bank card” includes, for example,credit cards and debit cards, whether or not issued by a bank.

In some embodiments, for instance, using near field communications, auser (e.g., 22) can swipe his or her phone (e.g., 42, or specifically,device 82) past an NFC reader (e.g., device 88) to communicate theuser's bank card number or information for payment for goods orservices, thus eliminating the need to carry or present the bank card.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 200 further includes organizingcertain information (act 270), for example, information that is handledby system 100. For example, in many embodiments of the invention, thesecond software module 72 organizes (act 270), at the mobile phone(e.g., 41), the fraction (e.g., nuggets 78, 79, or both) of the secondset of personal information (e.g., selected in act 220 and transmittedin act 235), which may include, in various embodiments, whereapplicable, decrypting the information, decompressing the information,making the fraction of the second set of personal information accessibleto the user (act 275), for instance, on the user's mobile phone, or acombination thereof. In some embodiments, for each of a plurality of theusers, the second software module (e.g., 72) organizes (act 270) thefraction of the second set of personal information based on topic andmakes the fraction of the second set of personal information (e.g.,nuggets 78, 79, or both) accessible (act 275) to the user (e.g., 21),for instance, based on the topic of the information (e.g., in folder orfolders 76).

In various embodiments of the invention, some or all of the acts ofmethod 200 may be repeated. For example, in some embodiments (e.g., foreach of a plurality of the users) method 200 may involve repeating, atleast a plurality of times, the receiving (act 215), for example, of thesecond set of personal information, the selecting of the fraction (act220), and the transmitting of the fraction act 235). In manyembodiments, where applicable, the encrypting (act 225), compressing(act 230), providing of an alarm (act 245), transmitting of informationto a different party (act 255), receiving or transmitting (or both) oflocal signals (acts 260, 265, or both), the organizing of theinformation (act 270), the providing of the information to the user (act275) or a combination thereof, may be repeated, as appropriate. Further,in some embodiments, the receiving of information from the user (act205) may be repeated, but may be repeated less often than certain otheracts, such as the receiving of information from third parties (act 215),for instance.

In many embodiments (e.g., for each of a plurality of the users), therepeating includes (e.g., as part of act 270) replacing at least aportion of the fraction of the second set of personal information thatis stored on the user's mobile phone, while maintaining the organizationof the information, for instance, based on the topic of the information.Further, in various embodiments, for each of a plurality of the users,the repeating includes (e.g., as part of act 270) synchronizing at leasta portion of the fraction of the second set of personal information thatis stored on the user's mobile phone with corresponding personalinformation that was already stored on the mobile phone, whilemaintaining the organization of the information based on the topic ofthe information. As used herein, “synchronizing” of information includesboth replacing and appending the information, while sorting ormaintaining a sorted organizational structure based on topic. Topics mayinclude, for example, travel information, account information (which maybe sorted for different accounts), bank card information, loyaltyinformation, insurance information, etc.

In various embodiments, a user (e.g., 22) may be able to use a mobilephone (e.g., 42) to gain access to a physical space, such as anelevator, floor or area of a building, parking garage, etc. Access maybe obtained, in some embodiments, for example, by passing the phone(e.g., 42) by or over a reader (e.g., communications device 88),transmitting a local signal (e.g., in act 265), for example, using nearfield communication (NFC). In some embodiments, for instance, user 22selects the desired code or number on phone 42, and then rubs phone 42against the reader or device 88 or passes phone 42 over or by device 88.In certain embodiments, user 22 may provide or select the code by name,for example, “elevator”, which may be selected from a menu on mobilephone 42 or input as a voice command, for instance.

In some embodiments, phone 42 may then transmit (e.g., in act 265) alocal signal containing a code that the reader (e.g., device 88) willunderstand, for example, to identify user 22. In such embodiments, phone42 may have local transmitter or communications device 82, which may bean NFC antenna, for example. In some embodiments, an NFC antenna (e.g.,local transmitter or device 82) may be retrofitted onto a preexistingphone 42 by replacing a back or battery cover of the phone with a coverhaving an antenna, circuitry, or both. In other embodiments, an NFCantenna (e.g., local transmitter or device 82) may be an originalequipment component of phone 42, for example.

Some embodiments may use (e.g., for local transmitter or communicationsdevice 82) Bluetooth communication for particular functions in additionto or instead of NFC. For example, Bluetooth may be used for access toparking areas, and a user carrying a phone may be given access in someembodiments without a need to open the car window. Other embodiments mayuse WiFi or other forms of communication such as infrared, bar codes, orthe like. And in some embodiments, transponders may be used. In additionto providing access, such use of mobile phones and local signals may beused to track who has accessed particular areas, track movement ofemployees or other people, verify that employees are working quicklyenough, verify that employees or others are traveling at safe speeds,track work or break times, etc., which may be published in one or morereports.

In some embodiments, a user (e.g., 22) may make selections, identifydesired actions, provide assent, or perform other affirmative acts, bypassing the phone (e.g., 42) by a reader (e.g., device 88) or acombination of several readers. For example, a user in a store mayobtain information on a particular product by passing the user's phoneby a particular reader (e.g., device 88). Or, in some embodiments, auser may identify potential gifts for a bridal registry or identify alarge item to be picked up at the register, as other examples. Further,in particular embodiments, a user may be able to subscribe, in such amanner, to particular advertisements, for example, for a particular typeof product or from a particular source. Further, phone 42 may be able tobe used in a similar manner, in some embodiments, by passing phone 42past reader or device 88, to show membership (e.g., to COSTCO or to agym or country club) to obtain frequent flyer miles, to get discountsthat are provided to holders of loyalty cards, or the like. In otherembodiments, a user may make affirmative acts in other ways, forexample, responding to questions displayed on a phone by pressing one ormore buttons, for example, on the phone.

In some embodiments, a phone may provide identification of the user. Forexample, phone 42 may contain and provide user 22's driver's licensenumber, social security number, credit card number, account number,address, phone number, employee ID number, birth certificate, proof ofcitizenship, proof of legal residency, security clearance, passportnumber, visa number, criminal record, credentials, badge number, or thelike, for example, through transmitter or local communications device82. For example, in particular embodiments, in an airport, the phone mayindicate a higher level of security which may permit the user to bypassof some or all of security. In addition, in certain embodiments, if aphone is lost or stolen, the authorized user may be able to wipe thephone of personal information, locate the phone, disable the phone, or acombination thereof, for example, with another phone or through website65, for example. Such an action may be accomplished by sendinginstructions to the phone (e.g., through mobile phone network 40), andin the case of locating the phone, instructing the phone to provide itsGPS coordinates, other location information, or both. In someembodiments, this may require entering at least one code or password,for instance. Further, it may be possible, in some embodiments, toreload the information back onto the phone, or onto a new or otherphone, from an archive, for instance, at website 65.

In some embodiments, the mobile phone (e.g., software module 72 on phone41) may lock the user (e.g., 21, or another user who might not beauthorized) from accessing information if the software (e.g., 72) or thephone (e.g., 41) has not been used for a specified period of time, or ifthe user has repeatedly failed to provide the correct password for thesoftware (e.g., 72). In other embodiments, the software (e.g., softwaremodule 72 on phone 41) may provide the GPS coordinates of the phone(e.g., to module 61 on server 15) at regular intervals, upon accessingor exiting the software (e.g., 72), upon accessing the phone (e.g., 41),upon turning the phone off, upon turning the phone (e.g., 41) on, uponrunning out of battery, or a combination thereof, as examples.

In a number of embodiments, a mobile phone may contain insuranceinformation, as an example of a topic of personal information, which mayinclude, for example, proof of insurance (e.g., automobile or healthinsurance), coverage, payment dates, preferred providers, and the like.In some embodiments, the user (e.g., 21 to 23) may be reminded (e.g.,provided an alarm in act 245) to make payments, obtain expandedcoverage, make or keep an appointment, or the like, via the phone (e.g.,41 to 43). For instance, in some embodiments, a user may be prompted(e.g., provided an alarm in act 245) through the phone to authorizepayment, for example, for insurance, utilities, mortgage or housepayments, rent, credit card payments, various bills, etc. In anotherexample, a user may be reminded (e.g., provided an alarm in act 245) toobtain automobile insurance for another country when traveling into ornear that country, and in some embodiments, it may be possible topurchase such insurance over the phone, obtain proof of insurance on thephone, or both, as examples.

As described herein, specific embodiments include, among other things,ways to communicate information to other electronic devices, and, incertain embodiments, ways to affirmatively make selections. In someembodiments, the electronic device or reader (e.g., device 88) may querythe phone (e.g., 42) for the particular information that is needed, ahandshake routine may be followed, or both. In some embodiments, anaffirmative act of assent may be required, at least for certainfunctions, for example, to authorize a transaction or payment, or toauthorize access. Such an act of assent may include, for example, user22 entering a personal identification number (PIN) or a password into agraphical user interface or keyboard on the mobile phone, providing asignature on a touch pad, providing a biometric, passing the phone(e.g., 42) by an NFC reader (e.g., device 88), or the like.

Further, in some of these embodiments, for yet another example, thefirst software module (e.g., module 61) includes programminginstructions to receive (e.g., in act 205) instructions from the useridentifying at least one threshold for alarm (e.g., used in act 240) forat least a portion of the particular information (e.g., nugget 78). Insome of these embodiments, at least one of the first software module(e.g., 61) and the second software module (e.g., 72) includesprogramming instructions to compare (e.g., in act 240) at least aportion of the particular information to the threshold. And in some suchembodiments, at least one of the first software module (e.g., 61) andthe second software module (e.g., 72) includes programming instructionsto provide an alarm (e.g., in act 245) to the user if the particularinformation passes the threshold (e.g., in act 240).

As mentioned, in some embodiments, certain methods of managinginformation for users using the Internet and mobile phones involveextracting information from e-mails and sending the information to themobile phones. Particular such methods include (e.g., as or within act215), an act of receiving e-mails, for instance, from third parties. Forexample, in some embodiments, for each of a plurality of the users(e.g., users 21 to 23), method 200 includes an act of receiving at aninformation sorting software module (e.g., 67), a plurality of (e.g.,select) e-mails containing information about the business of the user,wherein the user has caused the select e-mails to be sent to theinformation sorting software module (e.g., act 215). Such examples ofmethod 200 may also include, for example, for each of a plurality of theusers, using the information sorting software module (e.g., 67), an actof searching at least a plurality of the select e-mails for at least oneof keywords and identifying numbers, and also for each of a plurality ofthe users, using the information sorting software module (e.g., 67), anact of extracting the particular information from the select e-mails(e.g., act 220). As used herein, this act of extracting particularinformation does not mean or include forwarding or sending (e.g., in act235) the whole e-mail. Rather, a portion (i.e., less than all) of theinformation within the e-mail is extracted (e.g., in act 220) to be sent(e.g., in act 235).

In a number of embodiments, such examples of method 200 also include,for each of a plurality of the users (e.g., users 21 to 23 shown in FIG.1), sending (e.g., in act 235) the particular information to the user'smobile phone (e.g., phone 41 of user 21) through a mobile phone network(e.g., 40) for storage on the user's mobile phone (e.g., 41) and accessby the user (e.g., 21). In some embodiments, the particular informationthat is sent may be, contain, or be similar to, the nuggets (e.g., 78and 79, and may be stored, for example, within folder 76, by module 77,for example). In some embodiments, software module 67 on server 15 maybe a sorting software module, and may perform or initiate the acts ofreceiving the e-mails (e.g., act 215), searching for keywords oridentifying numbers (or both) and extracting the particular information(e.g., in act 220), and in some embodiments, transmitting or sending(e.g., act 235) the particular information. In some embodiments, theparticular information may be the same or similar to the fraction of theinformation described herein, for example, with reference to acts 220 to235.

In many embodiments, method 200 also includes acts of repeating, forexample, multiple times, the searching (e.g., part of act 220), theextracting (e.g., part of act 220), and the sending (e.g., act 235).Various embodiments of such methods may be performed in various ordersand may include additional acts. For example, in some embodiments,method 200 may include, (e.g., for each of a plurality of the users 21to 23), after the extracting of the particular information (e.g., in act220), and before the sending of the particular information (e.g., in act235), for example, to the user's mobile phone (e.g., 41 to 43), acts ofencrypting the particular information (act 225), compressing theparticular information (act 230), or both. In some embodiments, theinformation sorting software module (e.g., 67), extracts the particularinformation (e.g., in act 220) only from a fraction of the selecte-mails. In such embodiments, the e-mails may be searched for keywordsor identifying numbers (or both) (e.g., in act 220, or in a previousoperation), and the particular information may be extracted or selected(e.g., in act 220) only from the e-mails that have those keywords oridentifying numbers.

Further, in some embodiments, for at least a plurality of the users,before the receiving of the (e.g., select) e-mails (e.g., in act 215),method 200 also includes an act of configuring the user's e-mailhandling software module (act 212). For example, the user's e-mailhandling module may be configured to automatically forward incominge-mails from at least one particular third party (e.g., 31 to 33) toinformation sorting module 67. In such embodiments, the select e-mailsmentioned herein may include (or be) the incoming e-mails from the (atleast one) particular third party (e.g., one or more of third parties 31to 33). As an example, plug-in 17 may be added to MICROSOFT OUTLOOK oncomputer 13 of user 23, and may provide functionality to automaticallyforward e-mails that are sent to an e-mail account of user 23 fromparticular senders to module 67 (e.g., via the Internet 10).

In other embodiments, a user's e-mail handling module may be configured,or a plug-in or software module may be added, that will search e-mailsfor keywords or identifying numbers (or both), select the particularinformation, perform tasks associated with act 220 or even acts 220 to235, or a combination thereof, as examples, which may result in a selectset of e-mails, the particular information, a fraction of theinformation, nuggets of information, or the like. In such embodiments,the users computer (e.g., computer 13 of user 23), or software runningon the computer (e.g., plug-in 14 on computer 13), may perform tasksdescribed herein for software module 67. In some such embodiments,software module 67 may not be needed. In other embodiments, on the otherhand, some or all of such tasks may be performed at server 15, softwaremodule 61, or software module 67, as examples. In different embodiments,tasks described herein as being performed by modules 14, 17, and 67, mayin other embodiments be described by others of such modules.

Moreover, some examples of method 200 further include, for at least aplurality of the users (e.g., 21 to 23), for example, before thereceiving of the select e-mails (e.g., in act 215), instructing (e.g.,in act 205) at least one particular third party (e.g., of 31 to 33) tosend e-mails containing information about the business of the user tothe information sorting module (e.g., 67). These select e-mails mayinclude (or be), for example, e-mails containing information about thebusiness of the user. In various embodiments, the users (e.g., 21 to 23)may provide these instructions through the Internet 10 (e.g., user 23may provide these instructions via computer 13), through their mobilephones (e.g., 41 to 43), or both. In addition, in various embodiments,users (e.g., 21 to 23) may provide these instructions through module 61or website 65, or directly to the third parties (e.g., 31 to 33), forexample, through the Internet 10, mobile phone network 40, or both.

In some embodiments, as another example, the searching of the e-mails(e.g., in act 220 or otherwise) includes (e.g., for each of a pluralityof the users), searching for e-mails from at least one particularsender, and the extracting of the particular information (e.g., in act220) includes extracting the particular information only from thee-mails from the at least one particular sender.

In particular embodiments, (e.g., for each of a plurality of the users),method 200 may include acts of receiving instructions (e.g., in act 205)from the user (e.g., one of users 21 to 23), and identifying at leastone criteria or threshold for alarm for at least a portion of theparticular information. In some such embodiments, after the extractingof the particular information (e.g., act 220), method 200 may includecomparing (e.g., in act 240) at least a portion of the particularinformation to the criteria or threshold for alarm, and providing analarm (e.g., in act 245) to the user (e.g., one of users 21 to 23) ifthe particular information satisfies the criteria or passes thethreshold, as examples.

For instance, in some such methods, (e.g., for each of a plurality ofthe users), the particular information includes financial accountinformation including an amount of a withdrawal or a debit from anaccount, and the threshold is an amount of the withdrawal or debitbeyond which the alarm is provided (e.g., in act 245). In anotherexample, (e.g., for each of a plurality of the users), the particularinformation includes travel information including a departure time or adeparture location (or both), and an alarm is provided (e.g., in act245) if (e.g., as determined in decision activity 240) there is a changein the departure time or the departure location (or both). In specificembodiments, for example, the travel information includes flightinformation, for instance, including the departure time and a departuregate, and the alarm is provided (e.g., in act 245) if there is a changein either the departure time or the departure gate.

Still other embodiments include, (e.g., for at least a plurality of theusers 21 to 23), upon instruction by the user (e.g., user 21),transmitting (e.g., act 255) at least a portion of the particularinformation to a third party (e.g., 22) mobile phone (e.g., 42) forinstance, through mobile phone network 40, for storage on the thirdparty mobile phone (e.g., 42), for access by the third party (e.g., user22). In some such embodiments, the at least a portion of the particularinformation (e.g., transmitted in act 255) does not include a completee-mail (e.g., an e-mail received by user 21 or by module 67, andforwarded to user 22). As an example, in some embodiments, the (at leasta portion of the) particular information includes a travel itinerary(e.g., of user 21). Thus, user 21 can easily send his travel itinerary(or other of the particular information) to another person, tofacilitate such communication.

Turning now to FIG. 3, this flowchart illustrates, among other things,various methods of authorizing an action and various methods ofauthenticating access, as examples. Most of the various acts of method300 may be performed, for example, in an automated process, forinstance, by server 15, module 61, or both, shown in FIG. 1. In variousembodiments, method 300 may be performed by a company or business, forinstance, as a service for other companies or businesses, or the like.

In the embodiment illustrated, in various methods of authorizing anaction, method 300 includes receiving (act 303), for example, from aperson having authority to authorize the action, an identification of afirst phone number for obtaining authorization for the action. Such aperson having authority to authorize the action may be, for example, oneof users 21 to 23 shown in FIG. 1. In some embodiments, the personhaving authority to authorize the action may provide the phone number(e.g., received in act 303) through their computer or mobile phone, forexample. For instance, if user 23 is the person having authority toauthorize the action, user 23 may provide the phone number (e.g.,received in act 303) of phone 43 via phone 43 or via computer 13 andwebsite 65.

In some embodiments, the person having authority to authorize the actionmay enter or key in the phone number directly, while in otherembodiments, the person (e.g., user 23) may enter or select a name, forexample, or other identifier or indicia, which may be used (e.g., in act303, for instance, by server 15 or module 61) to look up the appropriatephone number (e.g., of phone 43). In some embodiments, the person havingauthority to authorize the action may select the phone number, forexample, from a menu, or the number may be read automatically from theperson's phone or from a caller ID feature or service when the phone isused. As used herein, all such are examples of acts (e.g., 303) ofreceiving, from a person having authority to authorize the action, anidentification of a first phone number for obtaining authorization forthe action.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 300 also includes an act (309) ofreceiving, for instance, from a person seeking the action, a request forauthorization of the action. In different embodiments, acts 303 and 309may occur in either order, including, for example, the order shown inFIG. 3. In different embodiments or different situations, the personseeking the action (e.g., who requests authorization in act 309) and theperson having authority to authorize the action (e.g., who provides thenumber in act 303) may be the same person, or may be different people(e.g., of users 21 to 23).

After the receiving of the identification of the first phone number(e.g., in act 303), and after the receiving of the request forauthorization (e.g., act 309), in the embodiment illustrated, method 300also includes an act (315) of sending a first message, for example,through a mobile phone network (e.g., 40 shown in FIG. 1) to a firstmobile phone, for instance, having the first phone number. In suchembodiments, the first message (e.g., of act 315) may include adescription of the action for which authorization is requested, forexample. In some embodiments, the first phone message is sent (e.g., inact 315) automatically, meaning herein that other than making therequest for authorization (e.g., received in act 309), and providing thenumber and any criteria (e.g., received in one or both of acts 303 and309), no human interaction is involved (i.e., between acts 309 and 315).

In addition, in the embodiment illustrated, after the sending of thefirst message (e.g., after act 315), method 300 includes an act (321) ofreceiving, for example, from the first mobile phone, (i.e., having thefirst phone number) a second message, which may authorize the action. Invarious embodiments, the second message (e.g., received in act 321) maybe the result of the person who controls the phone taking an affirmativeaction to indicate authorization of the action (act 318). Act 318 may beperformed, by one of users 21 to 23 shown in FIG. 1, for example.

In some embodiments, the first message (e.g., of act 315) includes atleast one menu and at least one prompt to authorize the action by makinga selection from the menu. The person who controls the phone may take anaffirmative action to indicate authorization of the action (act 318) bymaking a selection from the menu, for example. In some embodiments,authorization is indicated (act 318) and the second message authorizingthe action is sent (e.g., which is received in act 321) by pressing, forexample, a single button on the mobile phone, after the first message(e.g., sent in act 315) is received by the mobile phone. As used herein,“pressing a single button” does not include such actions such as openinga flip phone, scrolling to view a message, or pressing “send”. In otherwords, when determining how many buttons have been pressed, opening aflip phone, scrolling to view a message, or pressing “send”, are notcounted.

In some embodiments, the first message (e.g., sent in act 315), thesecond message (e.g., received in act 321), or both, are SMS messages.One or both (e.g., of the first and second messages sent in act 315 andreceived in act 321, respectively) may be transmitted (e.g., sent andreceived) through the mobile phone network (e.g., 40 shown in FIG. 1).Further, in some embodiments, the first message, (e.g., sent in act315), the second message (e.g., received in act 321), or both, are voicemessage, as further examples, which may be computer generated,interpreted using voice recognition software, or both, as examples. Insome embodiments, the first message (e.g., sent in act 315), may be avoice message, while the second message (e.g., received in act 321), isan SMS message. Other embodiments may have other combinations.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 300 also includes an act (327) ofevaluating whether the second message (e.g., received in act 321)authorizes the action. If so, then (in act 330) the action may beallowed, facilitated, or performed, as examples. Some embodimentsinclude an act of allowing the action (act 330) only if the secondmessage is received (e.g., in act 321) and the second message authorizesthe action (e.g., as determined in act 327). Some embodiments furtherinclude repeating the receiving of the request for authorization of theaction (e.g., act 309), the sending of the first message (e.g., act315), and the receiving of the second message (e.g., act 321). Theseacts may be repeated, for example, for requests for different actions,requests for the same action for different people, requests for the sameaction or same person at different times, etc.

Further still, some of these embodiments further include an act (312) ofencrypting the first message, for example, before the sending of thefirst message (e.g., act 315), for instance, to the first mobile phone.Some embodiments also (or instead) include an act (324) of decryptingthe second message, for example, after the receiving of the secondmessage (e.g., act 321), for instance, from the first mobile phone. Insuch embodiments, the first mobile phone may decrypt the first messageand encrypt the second message, as examples. In some embodiments,compression and decompression may also (or instead) be utilized.

In some embodiments, prior to the receiving of the request forauthorization of the action (e.g., act 309), the first phone number isreceived (e.g., in act 303) through an Internet website (e.g., website65 via the Internet 10 shown in FIG. 1), the mobile phone network (e.g.,40), or both. Some embodiments further include an act (306) ofreceiving, for instance, through an Internet website (e.g., website 65via the Internet 10) or a mobile phone network (e.g., 40), or both, forexample, from each of at least a plurality of persons having authorityto authorize the action, an indication of a criteria for obtainingauthorization for the action, for instance, for that particular person.Such a criteria may be typed in or entered verbally by the person, ormay be selected by the person from one or more menus, for example. Insome embodiments, act 306 may be similar to act 205 shown in FIG. 2 anddescribed herein. Further, in some embodiments, act 303 may be includedwithin act 306 or vice versa, or acts 303 and 306 may be performed inanother order.

As an example, in some embodiments of method 300, act 306 includesreceiving, for instance, from the person having authority to authorizethe action, through at least one of the Internet website (e.g., website65 via the Internet 10 shown in FIG. 1) and the mobile phone network(e.g., 40), an identification of time limits for sending the firstmessage (e.g., in act 315). In many such embodiments, the sending of thefirst message (e.g., act 315) may be performed only in accordance withthe time limits. For example, in some embodiments, the person may notwant to be prompted for certain kinds of authorization during certainnighttime hours, and may enter a criteria or make selectionsaccordingly.

In a number of embodiments, the person who controls the phone (e.g., whois in a position to indicate authorization in act 318) is, in fact, oris intended to be, the person having authority to authorize the action(e.g., from whom the number was received in act 303, criteria wasreceived in act 306, or both). In other embodiments, the person whocontrols the phone is, in fact, or is intended to be, a person who isauthorized by the person having authority to authorize the action (e.g.,from whom the number was received in act 303, criteria was received inact 306, or both). Further, some embodiments provide certain assurancesthat the person who controls the phone is the correct person.

For example, in some embodiments, the second message (e.g., received inact 321) includes a password or an authorization code which has beenmemorized by the person having authority to authorize the action andkeyed into the first mobile phone (e.g., in act 318) after receiving thefirst message (e.g., sent in act 315) and before sending the secondmessage (e.g., received in act 321). As another example, certainembodiments include, for example, in the first message (e.g., in act315), an act of asking a personal question about the person havingauthority to authorize the action who is expected to be in control ofthe mobile phone. Such embodiments may also include, in the secondmessage (e.g., in act 321), an act of receiving a present answer to thepersonal question. Such embodiments may further include (e.g., in act327) an act of comparing the present answer to a previous answer to thepersonal question provided (e.g., in act 306), for instance, by theperson having authority to authorize the action.

In a number of embodiments, the first message (e.g., sent in act 315)identifies the person seeking the action. And in some embodiments, thefirst message (e.g., sent in act 315) also (or instead) identifies theaction being requested (e.g., in act 309). Such information may bevaluable, for example, in embodiments or situations where the personrequesting the authorization (e.g., in act 309) is different than theperson who has the authority to authorize the action (e.g., thatprovided the number received in act 303, to which the first message wassent in act 315, who indicates the authorization in act 318, etc.). Insome embodiments, on the other hand, the first mobile phone iscontrolled by the person seeking the action (e.g., who requests theauthorization received in act 309), and in some embodiments, the personseeking the action (e.g., who requests the authorization received in act309) is the same person having authority to authorize the action (e.g.,in act 303, act 318, or both).

Moreover, some embodiments further include an act (e.g., within act 306)of receiving, from the person having authority to authorize the action,for instance, through the Internet website (e.g., website 65 via theInternet 10 shown in FIG. 1) or the mobile phone network (e.g., 40), orboth, an identification of a second phone number for advising a thirdperson of the action (e.g., the action for which a request is receivedin act 309, which is allowed in act 330, or both). Some such embodimentsinclude an act (e.g., 333), for example, after receiving the request forauthorization (e.g., in act 309), of automatically sending the firstmessage, the second message, a third message, or a combination thereof(e.g., in act 333), to the second phone number. The act (333), ofnotifying the third parson, may include, for example, sending adescription of the action for which authorization is requested,identifying the person requesting the action (e.g., in act 309), orboth, as examples.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 300 further includes act 336 oftracking the authorization granted for the action over time, which mayinclude reporting results of the tracking. For example, a report may beissued which may indicate which authorizations were requested (e.g., inact 309), when authorizations were requested, who requested suchauthorizations, whether and when authorizations were granted (e.g., inact 318), and whether or when actions were allowed (e.g., in act 330).In some embodiments, such a report or data may be provided (e.g., in act336) to or through the (e.g., first or second) mobile phone, forexample, as SMS messages or nuggets of information described herein, asexamples.

In some embodiments, information may be provided via a local signal(received in act 307). Act 307 may be similar to act 260 shown in FIG. 2and described herein with reference thereto. A local signal may bereceived (e.g., in act 307), for example, via local communicationsdevices 88 and 82 shown in FIG. 1 and described herein with referencethereto, wherein device 88 is receiving and device 82 is transmitting. Alocal signal may be received (e.g., in act 307), via NFC, for instance,and may be received (e.g., in act 307) when the mobile phone is passedby a reader (e.g., device 88).

In different embodiments, different types of actions are requested(e.g., in act 309), authorized (e.g., in act 318), and allowed (e.g., inact 330). Some embodiments are limited to particular types of actions.For example, some actions involve providing access, physical orotherwise, and some embodiments involve transfer of funds or money fromone entity or account to another, for instance. As a specific example,in some embodiments, the action is granting of computer access toelectronically stored information, and the person seeking the action(e.g., requesting the authorization in act 309) is seeking the computeraccess to the electronically stored information. Embodiments of method300 may be used to provide computer access, for example, instead of apassword, if a password has been forgotten, or in addition to apassword, for example, to provide an added level of security in case anunauthorized user has obtained the password. In some such embodiments,the first message (e.g., of act 315) may include a description of thecomputer access or electronically stored information for whichauthorization is requested.

In another example, the action is granting of physical access to acontrolled space and the person seeking the action (e.g., requesting theauthorization, in act 309) is seeking the physical access to thecontrolled space. Physical access may be controlled, for example, to abuilding, part of a building, a floor of a building, a room, anenclosure, a compound, a storage area, a parking area, a road, furnituresuch as a desk or filing cabinet, a safe, etc. In such embodiments,physical access may be allowed (e.g., in act 330), for example, byelectronically unlocking or opening a door, gate, or compartment, byallowing an elevator to reach a particular floor, etc. In suchembodiments, the first message (e.g., of act 315) may include adescription of the room, floor, building, space, etc., for whichauthorization for access is requested.

In another specific example, in particular embodiments, the action(e.g., requested in act 309, authorized in act 318, allowed in act 330,or a combination thereof) is (or includes) a financial transaction, thefirst message (e.g., sent in act 315) includes an amount of thetransaction, and the second message (e.g., received in act 321) includesan authorization (e.g., from act 318) of the transaction. Some suchembodiments include (e.g., in act 306), receiving from the person havingauthority to authorize the action, for example, through an Internetwebsite (e.g., website 65 via the Internet 10 shown in FIG. 1) or amobile phone network (e.g., 40), or both, an identification of athreshold monetary value of transactions. In some such embodiments, thefirst message is sent (e.g., act 315) for transactions exceeding thethreshold, and transactions below the threshold are approved orauthorized without sending the first message (e.g., without acts 312through 327).

Further, in some embodiments, the transaction is (or includes) awithdrawal or a debit from a bank account and the person havingauthority to authorize the action is an authorized user of the account.Thus, in some embodiments, a user (e.g., 21 to 23 shown in FIG. 1) canelect (e.g., in selecting or indicating the criteria that is received inact 306) to be notified via their phone (e.g., 41 to 43) of largewithdrawals or debits (e.g., in act 315), but not to be bothered (e.g.,by a first message sent in act 315) with smaller (e.g., routine)withdrawals or debits. Furthermore, in a number of embodiments, the usermust authorize (e.g., in act 318) the larger transactions, thusprotecting the user, the bank (or other financial institution), or bothfrom losses resulting from unauthorized withdrawals or debits.

In some embodiments, the first message (e.g., sent in act 315) mayinclude the balance of the account, and even where debits or withdrawalshave been authorized, method 300 may help the user to avoid overdrawingthe account. And in some embodiments, the user can choose the thresholdamount above which authorization is required. As used herein, accountsheld at credit unions and other businesses that receive deposits offunds from various customers, hold the funds in accounts, and return thefunds to the customers upon request, are considered to be “bankaccounts”.

In another example, in particular embodiments, the transaction (e.g.,requested in act 309, authorized in act 318, allowed in act 330, or acombination thereof) is (or includes) a bank card expenditure made at apoint of sale for a purchase of goods or a payment for services. In somesuch embodiments, the person having authority to authorize the action isan authorized user of the bank card. In some such embodiments, the bankcard has a bank card number, and the method further comprises, forexample, before the sending of the first message (e.g., in act 315), anact of receiving the bank card number from the first mobile phone via alocal signal transmitted from the first mobile phone (e.g., where thelocal signal is received in act 307).

In certain embodiments, as another example, the transaction (e.g.,requested in act 309, authorized in act 318, allowed in act 330, or acombination thereof) is (or includes) an expenditure made from a creditor debit account at a point of sale for a purchase of goods or a paymentfor services, the person having authority to authorize the action (e.g.,user 22) is an authorized user of the account, the account has anaccount indicia, and the method further includes, before the sending ofthe first message (e.g., act 315), an act of receiving (e.g., act 307)the account indicia from the mobile phone (e.g., 42) via a local signaltransmitted from the mobile phone (e.g., from communication device 82).As used herein “account indicia” includes credit card numbers, debitcard numbers, and combinations of letters, numbers, symbols, or acombination thereof, that identifies an account from which a user canmake credit or debit charges using the indicia.

In further examples, in some embodiments, the transaction (e.g., theapproval of which is the action requested in act 309, authorized in act318, allowed in act 330, or a combination thereof) is (or includes) anexpenditure made from a credit or debit account at a point of sale for apurchase of goods or a payment for services, the person having authorityto authorize the action is an authorized user of the account, and thesecond message (e.g., received in act 321) includes an authorizationcode which has been memorized by the person having authority toauthorize the action and keyed into the first mobile phone afterreceiving the first message (e.g., sent in act 315) and before sendingthe second message (e.g., received in act 321). The keying in of theauthorization code may constitute, or be included within, the act ofindicating authorization (act 318), for example.

In addition, in some embodiments, the transaction (e.g., the approval ofwhich is the action requested in act 309, authorized in act 318, allowedin act 330, or a combination thereof) is (or includes) an expendituremade from a credit or debit account at a point of sale for a purchase ofgoods or a payment for services, the person having authority toauthorize the action is an authorized user of the account, the accounthas an account indicia, and the second message (e.g., received in act321) includes the account indicia. In an example of such an embodiment,a customer provides a merchant with his phone number, either verbally orby keying it into a key pad, as examples. Then the merchant sends orcauses to be sent the first message (e.g., in act 315) to the customer'smobile phone. Then the customer presses one or more buttons on the phoneto indicate authorization of the transaction (e.g., act 318), and thephone sends the second message (e.g., received in act 321) to themerchant, along with the customer's credit or debit card number to becharged.

In other embodiments, the customer's phone number may be received by themerchant via a local signal (e.g., in act 307) when the customer passeshis mobile phone by a local receiver (e.g., reader or device 88 shown inFIG. 1). And in other embodiments, the acts of sending the first message(315), receiving the second message (321), or both, may be performed bya service provider rather than directly by the merchant. In someembodiments, the second message (e.g., received in act 321) is (orincludes) an SMS message received through the mobile phone network(e.g., 40) and method 300 further includes, before the act of sending ofthe first message (e.g., act 315), an act of receiving from the personseeking the action, or from the first mobile phone, the first phonenumber. In different embodiments, or different situations, the personseeking the action may provide the phone number verbally, through akeyboard, or by passing the phone by a reader (e.g., device 88), asexamples.

Other methods of authenticating a transaction that are illustrated byFIG. 3 include (at least) the act of receiving through an Internetwebsite (e.g., 65) or a mobile phone network (e.g., 40) (or throughboth), from each of multiple users (e.g., 21 to 23), for instance, anindication of a criteria for the user for obtaining authorization fortransactions (act 306). Such embodiments may also include, for each ofat least a plurality of the users (e.g., 21 to 23), an act of sending afirst automated message (e.g., act 315), for example, through mobilephone network (e.g., 40) to a mobile phone (e.g., 41 to 43) of the user,the message containing an amount of the transaction and requesting anaffirmative action (e.g., in act 318) to indicate authorization of thetransaction. And such methods may also include, for instance, for eachof at least a plurality of the users (e.g., 21 to 23), receiving fromthe mobile phone (e.g., 41 to 43) of the user, a second message (e.g.,in act 321) indicating that the user (e.g., 21 to 23) of the mobilephone has taken the affirmative action (e.g., in act 318) to indicateauthorization of the transaction.

Such an affirmative action (e.g., in act 318) may be pressing a button,making a selection from a menu, entering a voice command, entering apassword or authorization number, etc. Various examples of actions thatmay be allowed (e.g., in act 330) in different embodiments are describedherein. In a number of different embodiments, such acts may be combinedin various combinations or with other acts or features (or both)described herein.

In addition to other things, FIG. 3 also illustrates various methods ofauthenticating access. In particular examples, such embodiments ofmethod 300 include, (e.g., in the order illustrated, or in anothersuitable order) various acts. Some such embodiments include, forexample, the act of receiving from a person seeking access (e.g., fromone of users 21 to 23 shown in FIG. 1), identification indicia for theperson seeking the access (e.g., in act 309). In various suchembodiments, the identification indicia may be or include the name ofthe person, a user ID or identification number for the person, or thephone number for the person, as examples.

Some embodiments include, for example, after the act of receiving theidentification indicia (e.g., act 309), and before the act of sending ofthe first automated message (e.g., act 315), an act (310) of looking upthe requester (e.g., the person who made, or allegedly made, the requestfor authorization in act 309). In particular embodiments, this (e.g.,act 310) may involve looking up the identification indicia (e.g.,received in act 309) in a database (e.g., in storage 64), and obtainingfrom the database a phone number for the mobile phone of the personhaving authority for the access (e.g., to which the first message issent in act 315).

In embodiments where the identification indicia includes the phonenumber for the mobile phone of the person having authority for theaccess (e.g., to which the first message is sent in act 315), the act oflooking up the requester (e.g., act 310) may involve verifying that thephone number corresponds to that of a (or the) person having authorityfor access. In embodiments where the request for authorization (e.g.,received in act 309) includes more than one indicia, the act of lookingup the requestor (310) may include verifying that some or all of theindicia are consistent, correspond to the same person, are correct, etc.

In a number of embodiments, method 300 may also include an act ofsending a first (e.g., automated) message (e.g., act 315), for example,through mobile phone network 40 shown in FIG. 1, to a mobile phone of aperson (e.g., identified in act 309 or 310) having authority for theaccess. In such embodiments, “automated” means that the first message issent (e.g., in act 315) by machines, for example, by one or morecomputers, servers, software, or the like. For example, in someembodiments, the first message is sent (e.g., in act 315) by server 15,software module 61, or both, shown in FIG. 1, in response to receivingthe request for authorization (e.g., in act 309). In some embodiments,the first (e.g., automated) message is sent (e.g., in act 315) to thephone number of the person identified in act 310 as having authority forthe access.

In some of these embodiments, the act of sending the first message(e.g., act 315) includes or consists of sending the first message (e.g.,through mobile phone network 40) to a mobile phone of the person seekingthe access. In other words, the person seeking access and the personhaving authority for access are, or are assumed to be, the same person,in some embodiments. On the other hand, in other embodiments, the personseeking the access is a first person, the person having authority forthe access is a second person (i.e., a different person). In many suchembodiments, the first message (e.g., sent in act 315) includes anidentification of the first person who is seeking the access. Such anidentification may be, or include, part or all of the indicia (e.g.,received in act 309), or that is obtained (e.g., in act 310) withreference thereto.

In some embodiments, the first automated message (e.g., sent in act 315)includes an identification of the access requested and a request for anaffirmative action to indicate authorization of the access. In otherembodiments, the first automated message (e.g., sent in act 315)includes a password. And in some embodiments, the first automatedmessage (e.g., sent in act 315) includes an identification of the accessrequested, a request for an affirmative action to indicate authorizationof the access, and a password.

Many such embodiments of method 300 also include the act of receivingthe password (act 319), for example, from the person seeking the access.Further, many embodiments include the act of receiving, for example,from the mobile phone of the person having authority for the access, asecond message (e.g., act 321) indicating, for example, that the personhaving authority for the access has taken the affirmative action toindicate authorization of the access. Some embodiments include act 319but not act 321 (e.g., wherein the first message, sent in act 315,includes a password, but not a request for a response or a secondmessage), some embodiments include act 321 but not act 319 (e.g.,wherein the first message, sent in act 315, includes a request for aresponse or a second message, but not a password), and some embodimentsinclude both act 319 and act 321 (e.g., wherein the first message, sentin act 315, includes a request for a response or a second message, and apassword).

In a specific example, a number of embodiments involve sending the firstautomated message (e.g., act 315) through the mobile phone network(e.g., 40) to the mobile phone of the person having authority for theaccess, wherein the first automated message contains the password. Suchmethods may also include receiving the password from the person seekingthe access (act 319). In some such embodiments, for example, the personseeking the access is seeking computer access to electronically storedinformation.

In a particular example, if a user (e.g., 23) attempts to log into acomputer (e.g., 13) or a system (e.g., a personal area of website 65),but has forgotten his password, then the computer (e.g., 13) or system(e.g., module 61) may ask the user (e.g., 22) to identify himself, forexample, by entering his name, user ID, phone number, or otheridentification indicia (e.g., in act 309). The computer (e.g., 13) orsystem (e.g., software module 61) may then look up (e.g., in act 310)the user's phone number in a database (e.g., in storage 64), or verifythat the user's (e.g., 23) phone number is in the database, and thensend the first message (e.g., in act 315) to the user (e.g., to hismobile phone 43) with the password. The user (e.g., 23) then receivesthe password on their mobile phone (e.g., via a SMS message, a voicemessage, or the like) and enters the password into the computer (e.g.,13) or system (e.g., website 65).

In different embodiments, such a password may be the original password,a temporary password, or a one-time use password, as examples. In otherembodiments, instead of using such a process only when a password islost or forgotten, the process may be used every time a person logs in,randomly, at regular intervals (e.g., of time or numbers of log ins),when an unauthorized user is suspected, in addition to requiring apassword (e.g., for added security), or the like.

For additional security, for example, some embodiments further includethe acts of asking the person seeking the access a personal question(e.g., in act 315), for example, about the person having authority forthe access (which may be the same person, in some embodiments). Such amethod may also include an act of receiving from the person seeking theaccess (e.g., in act 321) a present answer to the personal question.Some of these embodiments also include the acts (e.g., within act 327, asimilar act occurring before act 321, or act 319) of comparing thepresent answer to a previous answer to the personal question provided(e.g., in act 306) by the person having authority for the access, andproceeding to allow the action (e.g., in act 330) or to send the firstautomated message containing the password (e.g., in act 321) only if thepresent answer matches the previous answer.

In some such embodiments, the first automated message (e.g., sent in act315) contains the personal question and the second message (e.g.,received in act 321) contains the present answer, for example. Such apersonal question may be, or include, as examples, “what is yourmother's maiden name?”, “what is your pet's name?”, or “what is yourfavorite color?”, or a combination or alternate selection thereof. Suchquestions may provide an added level of security, in some embodiments.

Certain embodiments of method 300 include the specific act of sendingthe first automated message (e.g., in act 315) through the mobile phonenetwork (e.g., 40) to the mobile phone of the person having authorityfor the access, wherein the first message contains the identification ofthe access requested (e.g., received in act 309) and the request for anaffirmative action to indicate authorization of the access. Theseembodiments may also include the specific act of receiving (e.g., in act321), from the mobile phone of the person having authority for theaccess, the second message (e.g., indicating that the person havingauthority for the access has taken the affirmative action to indicateauthorization of the access). Such an affirmative action may be, forexample, making a selection from a menu, pressing a button on the phone,making a voice command, or the like.

For example, in some embodiments, the first (e.g., automated) message(e.g., received in act 315) includes at least one menu and at least oneprompt to authorize the access by making a selection from the menu. Insome such embodiments, the second message (e.g., received in act 321)either authorizes the access, or does not authorize the access (e.g., asdetermined in act 327) based upon which menu selection is made. In somesuch embodiments, failure to make a menu selection at all either resultsin the second message not being sent, or the second message being sentafter a period of time indicating that the affirmative action has notbeen taken.

Some of these embodiments further include the acts of receiving apresent password (e.g., when the request for authorization is receivedin act 309, in act 319, or in the second message in act 321) from theperson seeking (e.g., in act 309) the access. Such methods may alsoinclude an act of comparing (e.g., within act 327, a similar actoccurring before act 321, in act 310, or in act 319) the presentpassword to a previous password stored in memory (e.g., in storage 64),and proceeding to provide the access (e.g., allow the access or actionin act 330) only if the present password matches the previous password(e.g., as evaluated in act 327). In different embodiments, the passwordmay be received (e.g., when the request for authorization is received inact 309, in act 319, or in the second message in act 321) through alocal key pad or key board, through the user's mobile phone, verbally(e.g., using voice recognition software), etc.

Many different embodiments include other features or aspects, includingthose described herein. As some specific examples, in many embodiments,the first message (e.g., sent in act 315), the second message (e.g.,received in act 321), or both, are SMS messages. Such messages may bereceived through mobile phone network 40, for example. Further, somemethods further include the acts of encrypting (e.g., act 312) the firstautomated message (e.g., before the sending, in act 315, of the firstautomated message to the mobile phone of the person having authority forthe access). Embodiments that include a second massage (e.g., receivedin act 321), may include (e.g., in addition to or instead of act 312) anact of decrypting (e.g., act 324) the second message (e.g., after thereceiving, in act 321) of the second message from the mobile phone ofthe person having authority for the access). Further, some of thesemethods further include the act of receiving, for example, throughInternet website 65, mobile phone network 40, or both, for instance,from each of at least a plurality of persons who have authority foraccess, an indication of a criteria for obtaining authorization foraccess for the person (e.g., in act 306).

In some embodiments, the access that is being sought (e.g., in act 309)is physical access. For example, in a number of embodiments, the act ofsending the first automated message (e.g., act 315) includes, orconsists of, sending the first automated message through the mobilephone network (e.g., 40) to a mobile phone of the person seeking theaccess (e.g., as requested in act 309), and the person seeking theaccess is seeking (e.g., in act 309) physical access to a controlledspace. In other words, the person seeking the access (e.g., as requestedin act 309) and the person having authority for the access (e.g., in act303, 306, 321, or a combination thereof) are the same person, and thatperson is seeking physical access. Such physical access may be, forexample, physical access to enter a building or a floor or area of abuilding, or access to move a vehicle into a controlled space. Furtherexamples of physical access are described elsewhere herein.

Further, in certain embodiments, the receiving of the identificationindicia for the person seeking the access (e.g., in act 309) involvesreceiving a near-field communications signal from a mobile phone of theperson seeking the access. For instance, user 22 may pass her phone 42past NFC reader or communications device 88. In so doing, mobile phone42 may transmit the indicia (e.g., of act 309) to device 88, which maybe in communication with server 15, software module 61, or both, forexample via the Internet 10. In different embodiments, such a NFC signalmay also indicate the access or authorization requested (e.g., in act309), or the selection of reader or device 88 may serve to indicatewhich access or authorization is requested (e.g., in act 309).

Turning now to FIG. 4, this flowchart illustrates, among other things,various methods of providing positional awareness, for instance, of aparticular individual, for example, using mobile phones. In theembodiment illustrated, method 400 includes acts of obtaining (act 416)and storing (act 420) location information. Particular embodimentsinclude (at least) the act of obtaining (act 416) or storing (act 420)(or both) at least one location coordinate defining at least one regionof concern, for example. Such location coordinates may be (or include)global positioning system (GPS) coordinates, for example, latitude andlongitude, grid coordinates, elevation, coordinates or distances fromone or more known points, Cartesian coordinates, polar coordinates, orthe like, as examples.

A region of concern may be defined by one such coordinate and a distancetherefrom, by more than one coordinate and a distance therefrom (e.g.,by two coordinates defining a line segment and a distance therefrom), orby three, four, or more coordinates, which may define a perimeter orparcel of land (e.g., four coordinates defining corners of squares orrectangles), as examples. In other embodiments, street addresses may beused. Location information or coordinates defining regions of concernmay be obtained, for example, from a third party (e.g., 31 to 33 shownin FIG. 1), from an Internet website, through Internet 10, from a user(e.g., 21 to 23), or the like. In some embodiments, there may be anumber of locations, regions of concern, coordinates, or the like, whichmay correspond to different regions of concern, which may be of concernfor different reasons, in certain embodiments.

In the embodiment illustrated, method 400 also includes monitoring thelocation of a first mobile phone (act 424), which may be possessed by aparticular individual, for example. Such monitoring may be, for example,continuous, at regular intervals of time, during certain times of theday, or the like, which may be selectable by the user in someembodiments. In some embodiments, the frequency of monitoring may beincreased if the particular individual is near a region of concern. Inthe embodiment illustrated, method 400 also includes evaluating whetherthe first phone is near or within a region (act 428), for example, ofconcern, and providing an alarm (act 432), for example, through a secondmobile phone, when the first mobile phone passes into a region ofconcern, or within a predetermined distance of a region of concern. Sucha predetermined distance may be, for example, 25 feet, 50 feet, 75 feet,100 feet, 200 feet, 300 feet, 500 feet, or the like, and may be userselectable, in some embodiments. In addition, or instead of alarming atthe second phone, in some embodiments, an alarm may be provided (e.g.,in act 432) at the first mobile phone, which may be the same or adifferent alarm, in different embodiments.

An alarm may be provided (e.g., in act 432) in a manner similar to otheralarms described herein, for example, in act 245 shown in FIG. 2, or maybe similar to the notification of the third person (act 333) or thefirst message (e.g., sent in act 315) shown in FIG. 3, or a combinationthereof. An alarm (e.g., provided in act 432) may include a typicalringing of the phone, making a particular ring tone, a text or SMSmessage, a vibration, a synthetic voice message, one or more lights, ora combination thereof, as examples. The nature of the alarm (e.g.,provided in act 432) may be selectable by the user, in many embodiments,for example, in an act similar to act 205, act 306, or both. In someembodiments, the alarm (e.g., provided in act 432) may identify thefirst phone, the person to which the first phone is assigned, the phonenumber of the first phone, a name of the region of concern, the reasonwhy the region is of concern, how far away from the region of concernthe first phone is located, uncertainty associated with suchinformation, etc.

In some such embodiments, for example, the location coordinate (e.g.,obtained in act 416, stored in act 420, or both) is for a reportedresidence of a registered sex offender. In some such embodiments, thefirst phone (e.g., of which the location is monitored in act 424) may beassigned to or used by a child, and the second phone (e.g., whichreceives the alarm in act 432) may be assigned to a parent or guardianof the child. Thus, the parent or guardian may be alerted (e.g.,automatically) if the child enters or approaches the residence of aregistered sex offender. In some embodiments, the alarm (e.g., providedin act 432) may indicate that the region of concern is the residence ofa registered sex offender, in some embodiments, including details of theoffender, crimes that he has been convicted or accused of, a descriptionof him, a picture of him, etc.

In some embodiments, registered residences of a number of registered sexoffenders may be obtained (e.g., in act 416), for example, through theInternet 10, for instance, from one or more governmental websites, whichmay be converted into coordinates, for example, demarking the propertyboundary, the center of the property, or the like. Location informationmay be stored (e.g., in act 420), for instance, on server 15, in storage64, by software module 61, or the like, which may be temporary storage,for example, for the area in which the first mobile phone is located.Other information included in alarms (e.g., provided in act 432) may beobtained from the website(s) as well, in act 416, or both.

In other embodiments, regions of concern may be for other threats, suchas traffic hazards, pollution or toxic waste sites, areas of highradioactivity, industrial areas, neighborhoods with high crime rates,gang-controlled areas, quarantine areas, areas with insect infestations,high-drug use or dealing areas, bars, adult establishments, houses ofprostitution, gambling establishments, construction areas, areas ofsevere weather, areas of fighting in theater of war, forbidden areas,foreign territory, private land, areas below high tide, areas whererip-tides occur, areas of shallow water, coastlines, or other maritimenavigational hazards, etc. Besides protecting children, embodiments maynotify (e.g., in act 432), protect, or both, individuals with substanceabuse, alcohol, or gambling problems, police officers, fire fighters,probation officers, parole officers, census workers, soldiers, deliverypersonnel, salesmen, missionaries, sailors, etc. In some embodiments,the alarm (e.g., provided in act 432) may be provided to the firstphone, in addition to, or instead of the second phone.

In some embodiments, special software may be provided on one or moremobile phones to accomplish certain acts of the method (e.g., method400). For instance, a number of embodiments of method 400 furtherinclude, for example, the acts of providing a first mobile phonesoftware module for installation on the first mobile phone (act 404),providing a second mobile phone software module for installation on thesecond mobile phone (act 408), or both. In some such embodiments, thefirst mobile phone software module (e.g., provided in act 404) includesprogramming instructions for the monitoring (e.g., in act 424) of thelocation of the first mobile phone, for instance, possessed by theparticular individual. And in some embodiments, the second mobile phonesoftware module (e.g., provided in act 408) includes programminginstructions for the providing of the alarm (e.g., in act 432), forexample, through the second mobile phone when the first mobile phonepasses into a region of concern or within the predetermined distance ofa region of concern. In some embodiments, the first mobile phonesoftware module (e.g., provided in act 404), the second mobile phonesoftware module (e.g., provided in act 408), or both, may be similar, atleast in some respects, or part of, the second software module 72described herein, for example.

Particular embodiments of such methods (e.g., method 400) furtherinclude an act of obtaining or providing a third software module (act412), for example, installed on at least one Internet server (e.g., 15)and forming at least one Internet website (e.g., 65). In someembodiments, the third software module (e.g., provided in act 412) maybe similar, at least in some respects, or part of, the first softwaremodule 61 described herein, for example. In some of these embodiments,at least a plurality of users (e.g., users 21 to 23) visit the website(e.g., 65) through the Internet 10 and elect to be provided the alarm(e.g., in act 432) through their mobile phone, for example, through thesecond mobile phone. In various embodiments, information, criteria,selections, etc., may be received from the users (or potential users)for example, in acts similar to acts 205, 306, or both, shown in FIGS. 2and 3 and described herein with reference thereto.

In a number of such embodiments, the third software module (e.g.,obtained or provided in act 412) further contains instructions todownload (e.g., in act 404), for instance, through mobile phone network40, for example, to the first mobile phone, the first mobile phonesoftware module. In many such embodiments, the first mobile phonesoftware module (e.g., provided or downloaded in act 404), the thirdsoftware module (e.g., obtained or provided in act 412), or both,includes programming instructions for the monitoring (e.g., in act 424)of the location of the first mobile phone, for instance, possessed bythe particular individual. Further, in some such embodiments, the thirdsoftware module (e.g., obtained or provided in act 412) further containsinstructions to download (e.g., in act 408), for instance, throughmobile phone network 40, for example, to the second mobile phone, thesecond mobile phone software module.

In many such embodiments, the second mobile phone software module (e.g.,provided or downloaded in act 408) includes programming instructions forthe providing of the alarm (e.g., in act 432), for instance, through thesecond mobile phone when the first mobile phone passes into the regionof concern or within the predetermined distance of the region ofconcern. And in particular embodiments, the first mobile phone softwaremodule (e.g., provided or downloaded in act 404) also, or instead,includes programming instructions for the providing of the alarm (e.g.,in act 432), or instance, through the first mobile phone when the firstmobile phone passes into the region of concern or within thepredetermined distance of the region of concern.

Moreover, in many embodiments, at least a plurality of the users (e.g.,21 to 23) enter (e.g., in act 416), for example, through the Internetwebsite (e.g., 65) at least one location coordinate defining at leastone region of concern. Thus, in different embodiments, some or all ofthe regions of concern may be of specific concern to the particularuser. On the other hand, in some embodiments, the third software module(e.g., obtained or provided in act 412) further contains instructions toobtain from a third party website (e.g., from one or more of thirdparties 31 to 33), data with which to determine at least one locationcoordinate defining at least one region of concern. An example of suchdata includes street addresses, which may be used to determine longitudeand latitude or GPS coordinates, for example. In some such embodiments,for example, the third party website contains reported residenceaddresses or locations for a plurality of registered sex offenders,there are at least a plurality of regions of concern (e.g., monitored inact 424), and at least a plurality of the regions of concern surround atleast one of the reported residences of the registered sex offenders, asexamples.

Some or all of the acts of method 400, or other methods describedherein, may be repeated. For example, in many embodiments, locationinformation may be obtained (e.g., act 416) and stored (e.g., act 420)periodically, when the first phone moves into another area, when newinformation becomes available, or the like. Further, in someembodiments, location information that is stored (e.g., in act 420) maybe used many times (e.g., in acts 424 and 428, and if appropriate, inact 432) between instances when location information is obtained (e.g.,in act 416). In a number of different embodiments, the acts illustratedor described may be combined in various combinations or with other actsor features (or both) described herein.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, in a particular embodiment of theinvention, provided as an example, SECURE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT (SMIM)is an example of a platform for system 100 which enables mobile phoneusers (e.g., 21 to 23) to have access to certain personal informationvia their mobile phone (e.g., 41 to 43), in some embodiments, even whenthere is no signal or internet connection for the cell phone (e.g., frommobile telephone network 40). In this embodiment, SMIM includes one ormore blocks of code that provide the framework and foundation of system100 and encompasses functionality from defining standards under whichdevelopment takes place to defining security, to communication betweencomponents and various core software applications.

In certain embodiments, SMIM includes MICRO AGENT and WEB SERVICES. Inthis example of an embodiment, MICRO AGENT runs on mobile phones, and isan example of the second software module 72, or a portion thereof, andWEB SERVICES is an example of first software module 61, or a portionthereof. In this example, WEB SERVICES is a block of code or softwarethat runs on server 15 and that communicates with or exchanges data withMICRO AGENT on the phones, website 65, and secure storage 64, forexample. WEB SERVICES may be a communication layer between MICRO AGENT,website 65, and storage 64, for instance. WEB SERVICES may provide orallow authentication, communication, protocol definition, auditing ofthe integrity of data, prevention of unauthorized access, and so on, andmay allow access to website 65 from the Internet 10.

WEB SERVICES also, in this embodiment, allows third parties (e.g., 31 to33) or Personal Data Providers to update their customer's accounts orpersonal information, for example, on, storage 64, website 65, or secureareas thereof. MICRO AGENT or second software module 72 provides a userinterface, local storage, synchronization, and alerts components, inthis embodiment, for instance, on one or more of phones 41 to 43.Further, in this particular embodiment, a user interface, for instance,within mobile phone 41 or second software module 72, may gatherinformation from the user (e.g., 21) and provide information back to theuser.

In some embodiments, local storage (e.g., folder 76 on mobile phone 41)enables the application (e.g., second software module 72) to storeinformation (e.g., nuggets 78 and 79 of information) on the phone (e.g.,41), which may provide for faster access, reduce dependence on thenetwork (e.g., mobile phone network 40, the Internet 10, or both), andmay reduce the total cost of ownership by limiting the amount of datacommunication through mobile phone network 40 that takes place (e.g., atthe expense of user 21). In some embodiments, the data (e.g., nuggets 78and 79) on the phone (e.g., 41) is synchronized with data on server 15to ensure that the user (e.g., 21) has access to updated informationboth on their phone (e.g., 41) and on the web (i.e., Internet 10, whichmay be accessed, at least by user 23, through computer 13, forinstance).

In certain embodiments, data is compressed, encrypted, or both, forcommunication with the mobile phone or device (e.g., between MICRO AGENTand WEB SERVICES or between the first software module 61 and the secondsoftware module 72). In addition, in some embodiments, alerts mayprovide substantially real time notification of various events oractivities that can be sent to a phone (e.g., 41) running MICRO AGENT(an example of module 72, or a portion thereof). For example, alerts mayinform the user of an important or critical event such as a largewithdrawal from their account or a flight cancellation, flight changes,gate changes, or the like. And in particular embodiments, WALLET MOBILESERVICES or PERSONAL PORTAL (or both) provides a middle tier between anapplication running on a server (e.g., server 15) and a phone (e.g., 43)running MICRO AGENT. In addition, in some embodiments, PERSONAL PORTALprovides a middle tier between users (e.g., 23) operating on theircomputers (e.g., 13) and WALLET MOBILE SERVICES, MICRO AGENT, or both.In some embodiments, Wallet WEB SERVICES may provide information (e.g.,from Personal Data Providers) to PERSONAL PORTAL, which may then beprovided to WALLET MOBILE SERVICES, MICRO AGENT (e.g., on the mobilephones), or both.

Further, in certain embodiments, PERSONAL PORTAL (an example of part offirst software module 61 or part of website 65) is a web applicationthat enables users (e.g., 21 to 23) to access and modify variousinformation, such as their personal information, such as their cardinformation for example, on the web (e.g., through the Internet 10 andweb site 65). In some embodiments, PERSONAL PORTAL uses WALLET MOBILESERVICES to communicate and synchronize users' information with theirmobile phone. In a number of embodiments, Wallet WEB SERVICES, PERSONALPORTAL, WALLET MOBILE SERVICES, or a combination thereof, can also beused by third parties (e.g., 31 to 33) or Personal Data Providers tosend, receive, or both, information to (or from) mobile phones (e.g., 41to 43) running MICRO AGENT (e.g., second software module 72). Forexample, a bank such as WELLS FARGO may be able to send alerts to theircustomers' mobile phones (e.g., 41 to 43) and to provide them with thelatest bank account information, for instance. Another example (e.g., ofa third party 31 to 33) is an airline such as SOUTHWEST AIRLINES, whichmay send their customers (e.g., 41 to 43) up-to-the-minute gate andcancellation information, as appropriate.

In a particular example of an embodiment, SECURE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT,which includes embodiments of first software module 61 and secondsoftware module 72, provides functionality and features that includesubstantially secure storage of cards and information, including, forexample, credit cards, bank cards, identification cards such as adriver's license to identify a person, loyalty cards, for instance, forgrocery stores such as SAFEWAY, and ALBERTSONS, and retail stores suchas The GAP, and STARBUCKS, frequent flyer programs, rewards programs,membership cards, video clubs, library cards, insurance cards, forinstance, health, auto, or life, and login and password information, andthe like. Various embodiments may provide a combination of the items orinformation described herein or (e.g., any information or data) that istypically found or has been known to have been carried in a person'swallet or purse, for example, or equivalent functionality.

Further, some embodiments of the invention include central, secured, andbacked up storage, for example, through module 61, server 15, or both.In various embodiments, a user (e.g., 21 to 23) may enter the data once(e.g., into their phone 41 to 43, into website 65, etc.) and may usesuch information, for example, as long as it remains current. Inaddition, in particular embodiments, a user (e.g., 21 to 23) may be ableto easily replace a particular phone (e.g., user 21 may be able toreplace mobile phone 41), a carrier or service provider (e.g., of mobilephone network 40), or both, without re-entering personal information.Further, in this particular embodiment, a user (e.g., 21 to 23) may haveaccess to their personal information from virtually anywhere (e.g.,through their mobile phone).

In addition, particular embodiments that provide alerts to inform usersof important changes, are configurable. In some such embodiments, theuser (e.g., 21 to 23) may select which nuggets of information or changesare important to them such that the user should be alerted when theinformation is updated (e.g., immediately) and which should be storedfor later review, for instance. Certain embodiments may provideimmediate or near-immediate notification. Specifically, in someembodiments, a message may pop up on the mobile phone (e.g., 41 to 43)to alert the user (e.g., 21 to 23) of an event. In this embodiment,users can then bring up MICRO AGENT, or second software module 72, fordetailed information about the event.

In some embodiments, a user can use MICRO AGENT, or second softwaremodule 72 to take an immediate action. For example, if the user isinformed of a large withdrawal from their account, the user may be ableto use MICRO AGENT, or second software module 72 to inform the bank(which may be one of the third parties 31 to 33 or a Personal DataProvider, for example) of possible fraud or mistake. Hence, in thisparticular embodiment, banks or other financial institutions may be ableto limit their liability or reduce their losses by immediately puttingthe account under investigation. In various embodiments, users may takecontrol of their data by putting their personal information in SMIM orsystem 100. In many embodiments, users' personal information is notstored on an employers' server where the employer controls theinformation and has the ability, or even the legal right, to access it.Further, in some embodiments, users (e.g., 21 to 23) can change jobswithout the need for re-entering their data over again.

Moreover, certain embodiments of the invention may use mobile phones(e.g., 41 to 43) to provide certain identification card functions. Forexample, mobile phone 42 may be used to identify user 22. Personalinformation stored on a mobile phone, on server 15, or both, may includea driver's license number, a social security number, a passport number,visa information, security clearance information, credentials, a birthcertificate, a green card, a work permit, a military ID, access cards,membership cards, elevator cards, copy cards, etc. In some embodiments,if cards or the phone are lost, destroyed, or stolen, a user may replacesome or all access cards with a mobile phone. In various embodiments, auser may use a mobile phone to access a parking garage, an officebuilding, secure labs, or other areas, for example. Further, in someembodiments, a user may use SMIM, Secure Mobile Services, or firstsoftware module 61 to locate employees, for example, immediately orwithin a certain time period. User 22 may be located, for example, bydetermining the location of the cell that phone 42 is within, by usingGPS information from phone 42, or a combination thereof.

In a number of embodiments, SMIM or system 100 may be used in a retailsales environment. For example, in some embodiments, user 22 may usemobile phone 42 to retrieve product information about a product using alocal signal such as Near Field Communication or Bluetooth, for example.In some embodiments, a user may use a phone to look up a location of aproduct, receive a coupon as the user enters a store, receive dailyspecials, store product information and price for price comparisons, ora combination thereof. In some embodiments, a user may send friends orfamily, for example, gift cards from a mobile phone, and a recipient maybe able to redeem the gift certificate using their mobile phone. Incertain embodiments, SMIM or system 100 may also allow users to purchaseproducts in stores by payment with a phone, for example, charging acredit card, debit card, or the like. In particular embodiments, SMIM orsystem 100 also allows for secure communication between MICRO AGENT orsecond software module 72 and the website (e.g., 65) as well as secureSMS communication, for example, for transmitting sensitive informationrather than text messaging using clear text.

Yet another embodiment of the invention includes or combines a phonewith key card. An example is an apparatus for communicating a code, thatincludes a component for a mobile phone (or a mobile phone that includesthe component) wherein the component includes a passive code configuredto be read by a reader when the phone is passed in close proximity tothe reader. In many of these embodiments, the reader is an apparatus,for example, as opposed to a person. The reader of this embodiment maybe similar to communications device 88 shown in FIG. 1 and describedherein, and may be a card reader configured to read passive codes fromcards, for example, or similar thereto.

In certain embodiments, for example, the passive code is (or includes) amagnetic code and the reader is configured to read magnetic codes or thepassive code is (or includes) a bar code and the reader is (or includes)a bar code reader. In some embodiments, the passive code issubstantially unchangeable. As used herein, “substantially unchangeable”means that a typical user cannot change the passive code in a mannerthat is more convenient than replacing the component or the phone. Thus,a user cannot change their code on a whim, which a person reading thecode may rely on, for example, to identify the user. Although notnecessarily fool proof, in some of these embodiments, changing thepassive code of a specific phone or component to copy the passive codeof a different phone would be at least as difficult as making aduplicate of someone else's credit card, as a further example.

As used herein, “passive” or “passively” means to not be powered by thebattery or electrical system of the phone or electrically connected tothe phone (or another battery or electrical system). Further, as usedherein, in this context, the “component” of the phone excludesdisposable packaging for the phone (that may contain a bar code forproduct sales or tracking purposes, for example). Further, in someembodiments, for example, the component is (or includes) a back of themobile phone, a battery cover of the mobile phone, a battery for themobile phone or a case for the mobile phone, as examples.

Further, in some embodiments, for instance, the mobile phone has a phonenumber and the passive code includes (or is) the phone number of themobile phone. Further, in some embodiments, for another example, thepassive code includes (or is) a number that is unique to the componentfrom all other components for mobile phones and all other mobile phones.In other embodiments, the passive code may be or include the name of theuser, an indicia for the user, an indicia for an account, a portionthereof, or a combination thereof, as examples.

Various embodiments of the invention also (or instead) include a methodto replace a back of a phone with key card. Another example of theinvention is (or includes) a method of eliminating a need to carry acard. This method includes providing or obtaining a mobile phone havinga component (or at least providing or obtaining a component for a mobilephone), wherein the component is configured to passively produce a codeconfigured to be read by a reader (e.g., device 88) when the mobilephone, that includes the component, is passed in close proximity to thereader. (Some embodiments may require only proximity instead of closeproximity, for example, using Bluetooth.) Such a method may includeobtaining or providing components having one or more aspects describedabove for the example of the apparatus for communicating a code.Particular embodiments include providing the component as a replacementpart for a preexisting mobile phone that previously did not have anability to passively produce such a code.

Other embodiments include (or are) various methods to use a phone with akey card. An example of such an embodiment is (or includes) a method ofidentifying people, that includes, in the order indicated, or in anotherorder, (at least) the acts of providing or obtaining at least one reader(e.g., device 88) configured to read a passive code from an apparatuscontaining the code that is passed within (e.g., close) proximity to thereader, permitting people who whish to be identified to pass theirmobile phones (e.g., 42) within close proximity to the reader (e.g.,device 88), for example, wherein the people (e.g., 22) who wish to beidentified have the passive code located on their mobile phones (e.g.,42). Such methods may also include an act of using the passive code, asread by the reader (e.g., device 88), to identify the people (e.g., 22).

Such a method may be employed by a merchant, a service provider, anemployer, a land lord, a manufacturer, a company, a school, or agovernment agency, for example. Further, such a method may includeobtaining or providing components having one or more aspects describedabove for the example of the apparatus for communicating a code. In someembodiments, such a method may be used in combination with, or as partof, other methods described herein. In some embodiments, such a methodor system may be used for a particular purpose, or for more than onepurpose.

In particular embodiments, for instance, for each of at least aplurality of the people, the identity of the person is used to authorizean expenditure from a credit or debit account at a point of sale for apurchase of goods or a payment for services. In particular embodiments,as another example, for each of at least a plurality of the people, theidentity of the person is used to authorize physical access to acontrolled space. Further, in some embodiments, for each of at least aplurality of the people, the identity of the person is used to authorizecomputer access to electronically stored information. Even further, insome embodiments, for another example, the method further includes atleast one other means for identifying the people. Such another means maybe one of the means described herein, or known in the art, for example.

Still another embodiment is (or includes) a method of eliminating a needto carry a card. This example of a method includes replacing an oldcomponent of a mobile phone with a new component. In some embodiments,the new component includes at least one of a back, a battery cover, abattery, and a case for the mobile phone, as examples. In someembodiments, for example, the new component includes a magnetic codearea configured to produce a magnetic code to be read by a card reader(e.g., device 88) when the phone is passed in close proximity to thecard reader. Other embodiments may use a bar code, as another example.

Another embodiment is (or includes) another method of eliminating a needto carry a card. Such a method may include, for example, configuring amobile phone with a component, wherein the component is or includes atleast one of a back, a battery cover, a battery, and a case for themobile phone, wherein, the component includes a code configured to beread by a card reader (e.g., device 88) when the phone is passed inclose proximity to the card reader. Other embodiments include a methodor phone that communicates a code using near-field communication, forexample, wherein the code is stored on the phone, selected by the user,and transmitted via a NFC transmitter (e.g., device 82). Different usesare described herein wherein the codes are sent to the phone via themobile phone network (e.g., 40) from a server (e.g., 15) or thatcollects the codes from third parties (e.g., 31 to 33) through theinternet 10, for example.

Different embodiments of the invention may include differentcombinations of elements described herein, shown in the drawings, orknown in the art. Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problemshave been described herein with regard to specific embodiments. However,the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and element(s) that maycause benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronouncedare not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features orelements of the claims or the invention. Reference to an element in thesingular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly sostated, but rather “one or more.” As used herein, the terms “comprises”,“comprising”, or a variation thereof, are intended to cover anon-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, orapparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only thoseelements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherentto such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, no elementdescribed herein is required for the practice of the invention unlessexpressly described as “essential” or “critical”.

1. A system of managing personal information for one or more users, eachuser having a mobile phone operating on a mobile phone network, thesystem comprising: at least one first software module operating on atleast one server wherein the first software module encrypts a shortmessage service (SMS) communication and sends the encrypted shortmessage service (SMS) communication to the first mobile phone of thefirst user.
 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the first mobile phone isconfigured to decrypt the short message service (SMS) communication fromthe server.
 3. The system of claim 1 wherein a second software moduleoperating independently on the first mobile phone is configured todecrypt the short message service (SMS) communication from the server.4. The system of claim 1 wherein a second software module operatingindependently on at least the first mobile phone of the first user isconfigured to communicate with the first software module in a securemanner using secure short message service (SMS) communication in theform of an encrypted short message service (SMS) communication.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1 wherein the short message service (SMS) communicationis a short message service (SMS) message or a short message service(SMS) text message.
 6. The system of claim 1 wherein the encrypted shortmessage service (SMS) communication is stored on the first mobile phone.7. The system of claim 1 wherein the first mobile phone decrypts theshort message service (SMS) communication and stores the decrypted shortmessage service (SMS) communication on the first mobile phone.
 8. Asystem of managing personal information for one or more users, each userhaving a mobile phone operating on a mobile phone network, the systemcomprising: at least one server, and a second software module operatingindependently on at least the first mobile phone of the first userwherein the second software module is configured to encrypt a shortmessage service (SMS) communication and send the encrypted short messageservice (SMS) communication to the server, wherein the server isconfigured to decrypt the short message service (SMS) communication fromthe first mobile phone.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein the server isconfigured to send the encrypted short message service (SMS)communication from the first mobile phone to a second mobile phone. 10.The system of claim 8 wherein the server is configured to send thedecrypted short message service (SMS) communication from the firstmobile phone to a second mobile phone.
 11. The system of claim 8 whereinthe server is configured to: receive the encrypted short message service(SMS) communication from the second software module, encrypt thedecrypted short message service (SMS) communication, and send theencrypted short message service (SMS) communication to a second mobilephone.
 12. The system of claim 8 wherein the short message service (SMS)communication is a short message service (SMS) message or a shortmessage service (SMS) text message.
 13. The system of claim 8 whereinthe encrypted short message service (SMS) communication is stored on theserver.
 14. The system of claim 8 wherein the server decrypts the shortmessage service (SMS) communication and stores the decrypted shortmessage service (SMS) communication on the server.
 15. A method ofmanaging personal information for one or more users, each user having amobile phone operating on a mobile phone network, the method comprisingin any order at least: encrypting a short message service (SMS)communication at a server; and sending the encrypted short messageservice (SMS) communication from the server to the first mobile phone ofthe first user.
 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising decryptingthe short message service (SMS) communication from the server at thefirst mobile phone.
 17. The method of claim 15 further comprisingoperating a second software module independently on the first mobilephone and the second software module decrypting the short messageservice (SMS) communication from the server.
 18. The method of claim 15further comprising operating a second software module independently onthe first mobile phone and the second software module communicating withthe server in a secure manner using secure short message service (SMS)communication in the form of an encrypted short message service (SMS)communication.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the short messageservice (SMS) communication is a short message service (SMS) message ora short message service (SMS) text message.